Construction of a kindergarten in Tanzania: Part 3

It has been almost a week since the last article and some of you rightly ask for an update. Even a roommate is already asking about it, although she can/could see the progress on the construction site every day. What has happened on the construction site since the middle of last week.

What happened last week?

After the first material deliveries arrived, we took care of preparing for the foundation construction. In the first step, we cut iron rods (D18mm) for the steel reinforcement to the desired length with a hand iron saw, straightened them out and finally bent them into shape (using a tree stump). Afterwards, we made the spacer rings for the construction of the reinforcement cage (the house builders will forgive me for my own word creation). I was able to draw on enough experience from Germany for this (thanks to my father) and even amazed our fundi. The rings were bent in no time at all with a corresponding device I made and, of course, to the correct size. With these, we could build the reinforcement cages (see picture gallery). We had another helper for this. He loved working in the sun and I couldn't convince him to move to the shade. So, I was quite warm and perspiration flowed despite the rather light work. In the meantime, I also have a theory why the locals prefer to work in the sun here. I can tell you about it when I'm back in Germany. Just ask me about it. But I survived Friday, there were hotter days already.

Work was also done on Saturday. I stayed on site and worked as well. After pouring a 10cm thick layer of concrete into the foundation holes the day before, we placed the reinforcement cages in the individual holes. The helpers wanted to immediately start pouring concrete into the holes. I had to intervene immediately because first everything has to be positioned correctly and placed in water. This showed me why some houses here have crooked walls, etc. The workers always want to start immediately, whether it fits or not. They just patch it up or adjust it as best they can afterwards. And the earlier they can start, the earlier they will finish. I am now trying to explain to them why I have to slow them down. Henry, who helps me and translates for me, unfortunately wasn't there on Saturday. So, it took a while for them to understand why they couldn't start yet. But they know how to help themselves.

Actually, only Fundi was useful for aligning the reinforcement cages. But that would go too far if I went into the details. Somehow we managed and I gained a new experience: Not everyone is capable of holding a tape measure to a string without moving it or completely tearing it out. That's life.

But then it started for the helpers: mixing concrete, and they do it quickly. Mixing concrete here is similar to what I have often done with my father. Especially when we prepared a larger quantity of concrete with our excavator. Here in Tanzania, however, it was on a smaller scale and without machines, only shovels and buckets. And this is how it works here in Tanzania (see also picture gallery):

• Fill 25 large buckets with sand and carry them to the mixing area

• Carry two 50kg bags of cement on your shoulders to the mixing area (Point 1: 100 meters of uneven terrain can feel very long to me. Point 2: I prefer the 25kg bags of cement that I am used to in Germany, as they are lighter. Point 3: I immediately ask Fundi if I can use his bicycle for transporting the cement bags (sadly, there are no wheelbarrows or carts here. Definitely something for the shopping list, if there was one.)

• Mix both together

• Scoop small stones onto the cement-sand mixture and distribute them evenly. Do not mix yet (for some reason), but it looks nice (see picture)

• Lay the water hose to the mixing area, depriving the kitchen of running water

• Add water on one side and mix vigorously (stones with cement-sand mixture)

• Fill cement into the buckets and carry them to the desired location and pour them into the hole

• Tamp the concrete with a thicker wooden stick so that it spreads everywhere and there are no larger air pockets

Actually not particularly exciting, but in combination with the strong sun, it is special. The good thing is that everyone knew what to do, so not many words were needed. Thanks to the energetic and fast helpers, the reinforcement cages were embedded in concrete in no time.

In the late afternoon on Saturday, I sat down with Fundi and created a schedule with the individual work steps, materials required, and helpers needed. However, this schedule was null and void after one hour. When I asked him how he plans to build the support columns exactly, we realized that the material for that was not procured. An interpreter would have helped us. At least it was clear that more materials needed to be urgently purchased. Otherwise, the construction site would be at a standstill. That was now Prio 1. The tasks were at least distributed.

Good start to the week

On Sunday, after a long work week and a late Saturday night, I rested a bit more. Even the laundry remained dirty; laundry day was postponed by one day (to lunch break). And if you have rested so well, you want to start working again on Monday. A few more helpers were already busy early in the morning and dug some foundations for the walls of the hexagonal building. When I joined them, a discussion started. It was about the wages. And at this point, I would like to note how it works (from the perspective of an outsider who only gets fragments translated): Our fundi (fundi means expert, and anyone can be one. I have also been called that several times. But here I always mean Baba Steve, our construction site manager) selects helpers for certain tasks. This can be digging holes, mixing concrete, setting walls, etc. Depending on the activity, he always gets a different helper, and they are specialized, of course. These helpers now come to the construction site and carefully observe what needs to be done. Our fundi explains to them how deep, wide, long, high, etc. something should be. He also tells them how much money they will receive. And then the price is negotiated. It took an hour yesterday (Monday). And during that time, nothing happens, of course. Almost nothing, Henry and I sweat in the scorching sun while digging the holes for the foundations of the 2-room building. It probably took so long because for the first time, there were five additional helpers with us three (Fundi, Henry, and me). Naturally, everyone wanted to negotiate. Ultimately, it was done, and I was happy that something was moving forward. But then came the setback. The helpers had already dug a foundation about 16 meters long in the morning. For that, they wanted at least a down payment. Because now they wanted to go for tea in the village. I do my exercises that I learned in autogenic training. And I also benefit from my experience in Brazil. Different cultures, different customs. I remain calm... and the helpers receive a partial payment of their wages and go for tea. Everyone is satisfied. 45 minutes later, they are back, and now we can start without any further delays. They mix concrete, bring larger stones for building the foundation, and eventually build it. I didn't help with the masonry; they are simply much faster. But we assist with digging, carrying, and more. You can see the result of our work in the picture gallery. There are several pictures. And you will see that we were really busy!

That's it for today. There will be new pictures by the end of the week. By then, the first support columns should be finished, and the machine for shaping the bricks should finally be here. There was also a delay with that. I'm excited, and hopefully you are too. See you later.

How to use the picture gallery

If you click directly on a picture, the picture gallery will open. Now you can also read the picture captions from me and know what is actually shown in the picture.

Note on the report "Excursion to the south of Tanzania to Msimbati":

I have now been able to transfer the pictures from my other camera to my smartphone. I have added some beautiful pictures to the already existing article. I have added them under the existing pictures. You don't have to read through the text again, the pictures speak for themselves. Have fun.