Week 01: Foundation Construction

The initial phase of the construction project entailed clearing and leveling the site to allow for the foundation work. Rebar (reinforced steel rods) for the foundation and columns were placed. Then concrete was poured. One of the more fascinating aspects of the project is how Africans work in a precise but old-fashioned way. At this phase, there were no bulldozers, front end loaders, excavators, backhoes or concrete trucks to clear the land or set the foundation. It was men (and some women) performing back-breaking work with pickaxes to clear the property. Concrete for the footers was hand mixed at first, with women going to a local stream to fetch the needed water. This proved to be inefficient, so the construction managers brought in a mechanical concrete mixer. Looking at the site cleared, with the footers in place, one would never know that this was all done by hand. Very exact and impressive.