Post September 28 What has happenned since our Team Left Shisasari ?

The project has continued since our Team left at the end of September. Anthony has stayed on in Shisasari and several things have been achieved. The walls have been rendered, septic tank area prepared and Power is in the process of being organized.There is even the possibility that it could open in January,but would require another 10 - 20,000 Dollars.

                                                        Class Rooms at Shisasari

                    Local People at Shisasari. Anthony is wearing the Orange Cap.
                     Completed   class rooms  in the back ground.

                                                         Rendering the Inside

                                                  Preparing for the Septic Tank

                                                     Power Meter Box installed

September 28 Final Day of Construction Building Finished !!

Today marks the end of the construction of the class rooms. This is by no means the end of the project. There are still a number of things that need to happen before it will open as a school. The work of the Australian Team means that these other requirements,such as Plumbing for Toilet, approvals e.t.c can be achieved.

                      This Photo (courtesy of Ryan) shows that the buildings have now been completed


This video is a snap shot of the shisasari story courtesy of Kristifor lawson

September 26 Day 14 of Construction

Today is my last day in the Shisasari community. I leave very early tomorrow morning. Hopefully some of the Iron will be on the Roof of the Secondary School Today.



Some of the People i have met in the Shisasari Community.

                                                               Hendry Site Worker

 

                                                                 Zavia Site Worker

Isaac  Teacher Grade 3 at Shisasari Primary School next door to the secondary school we are building

                                           Brian who helps out at the school buidling site



Catherine who cooked all our meals



Anthony who had the vision for a secondary school in Shisasari

 

                                                            Nicholas Anthony's Father

                                    Ignatious (left) and Terrence worked on the Project with us

                    The Shisasari Primary School Resumed today after a 4 week Teacher strike

                       Finally we are starting to see some sheets on the Roof on the final day of our time here

September 25 Day 13 of Construction

This is my second last day in Shisasari and Thursday Morning i fly to Nairobi and then on to Cairo Thursday night. I will leave with some sadness,as this has definitely been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. This is more than a building,as it will provide education that will dramatically change the lives of Children and indeed the whole Community. There is no finer example of how this has happened than how Anthony's Education has had a profound positive effect for change in the whole community of shisasari.


Day 13 of Construction.

This morning the first of the Trusses have been mounted and fixed in place
I spent some of the Morning assisting to carry these trusses from Anthony's home where they were constructed to the School site some 70 Metres or so and they are heavy.

 

 

The final Truss is mounted on the building that the Australian Team have been working on.

September 24 Day 12 of Construction

I am now approaching the end of my time here in Shisasari and indeed my time in Kenya.
So much has been achieved here,but there is still work to be done. This morning we started work on the base plate,which will hold the trusses and using hoop Iron to bind the base plate to the Walls.

Your Donations at Work.

What does it pay for ?

Local Labor to make the Bricks and assist with Building construction
Materials Include :- Fasteners
                                 Gang Plates
                                 Cement
                                 Tile Adhesive
                                 Timber
                                 Corrugated Iron Sheets

Transportation to and From Kakamega to pick up supplies

Our Meals

 Locals moving Trusses from where they were contructed at Anthony's Place to the School Site

                                           Trusses on site ready to be mounted for the Roof

                                      Fasteining the Top Plate to the Wall to mount the trusses

Hoop Iron is being used to bond the Top Plate to the building to prevent the Roof lifting during High Winds

                              Candice made a friend walking back to Lunch from the work site

This afternoon work was stopped due to a severe storm. Usually there is heavy rain in the afternoon,but today there was also high winds.
The last Bricks have now been laid and we are ready to begin the roof tomorrow.

September 23 Day 11 of Construction

Today we work till 1.00 and have now finished all the exterior walls on the Secondary School. Tomorrow we start contruction on the Roof.

September 22 Rest Day

Today is a rest day, but we are planning to visit a local Gold mine and the Kakamega Forest.

                                                    Walking to the mine from Shisasari

                             The School as viewed from the Road walking towards the Mine

This Shaft goes down about 40 feet and the Gold that is extracted here is over 70% as compared to Australia where it is only 50 - 60 % as a ratio of the surrounding rock. Water is pumped out of the Mine and local plants are used to absorb any carbon monoxide that is present.

Gold is also caught in the surrounding soil and water and is panned to extract it. The Gold is then bound with Mercury and then heated to melt away the Mercury. Miners can average 1 to 1.5 Kg of Gold per day.

                                     The Rim in the Top left corner of the Pan is the Gold

There are 5 Species of Monkey in the forest, which are Red Tailed Monkey, Black and White Monkey ,Blue Monkey, Olive Baboon and Debrazza Monkey. This is the black and White Monkey

                                                Traditional Homes near the Kakamega Forest

                                                                    The Blue Monkey

September 21 Construction Day 10

We can now see the end of the building construction approaching. We should have all of the outside walls completed by the end of today. Hopefully we will have one of the trusses also fitted today on which the battons will fit and Corrugated Iron for the roof.

                          First Class room to have all external walls completed. Completed This Morning


Kenyan Politics

Kenya is divided into regions called Counties. Shisasari is in the Kakamega County,which is one of the largest. Each county has a governor. Kenya can best be described,as a republic with a president and an upper house called a Senate and lower House (Members of Parliament).
Each constituent votes for 6 representatives. These are Women Candidate, President,Member of Parliament, Govenor,Senate Representative and local councillor.

 

                                                            Children in Shisasari

Children are around Anthony's property where we are staying every day. This is near the House where we have our meals.


                                                  Farms around the School project location

 

 

 

 

                                   The mist in the Background is the above photo actually Rain coming

Work finished early today even though it is a Friday there was an afternoon Church service at Anthony's home , which we participated in for at least part of it.

Some of the Church Congregation with the Building where we sleep in the Background.

September 20 Day 9 of Construction

The Challenge of clean Spring Water.

This spring did not always provide clean water and tragically as a result two People from the Primary School died of infections from the water. Since then a water filtration system has been installed and clorine is added every day. The spring now provides clean water for  the shisasari region of 7000 People.

 

Secondary School Project Day 9
All of the work around the outside walls is being done on Scaffolding. Hopefully all the outside walls will be completed by tomorrow afternoon. This work is slow as every brick on the 3 top levels needs to be sealed with Tile adhesive.

 

 

 

 

Trusses are now starting to be prepared for the Roof

 

The day ends with dinner at the Golf Hotel in Kakamega.

 

 

 

 

                                          Some of the Team at Dinner Kakamega Golf Hotel