Lately we feel like we are always breaking ground on a new project, and this month is no exception! We’ve broken ground on two classrooms at Orkiu Primary School. Orkiu is on a cold, windy plateau, and currently they only have half the necessary classroom space for their student body. While half of the students are in class, the other half are outside. This is an extremely challenging environment for the students to learn in. These two classrooms will allow them to conduct classes for all of the students inside at the same time. It may seem like a simple thing, but it will mean the world to these kids!
Dispensary Construction
The dispensary building is complete! While there may still be a few minor changes, the building itself is finished and it looks beautiful! The contractor is putting the finishing touches on the staff housing now, and the toilets are well on their way to completion. We hope that the dispensary will be open for patients to visit in the first half of 2015!
The Focus
Copies of The Focus have arrived! We really enjoyed reflecting on our work over the past year while we wrote this, and we always like thinking about where we are headed in the future. We particularly enjoyed speaking with Hans and Jane Duinmayer of Acme Construction about why they choose to work with FoTZC. They told us:
The main reason we work with FoTZC is that FoTZC is a nonprofit; we feel that Acme Construction is supporting community development through FoTZC by giving students a better studying environment and providing communities with improved health facilities through modern infrastructure like classrooms, teachers’ houses, kitchens, a dispensary, doctors’ housing etc. We provide these high quality buildings at reasonable prices, which we sometimes even subsidize. Acme Construction has put up at least 13 buildings for FoTZC to date. It gives us pride to be given this chance to be part of this process in providing service to the public in this part of Tanzania. It is our hope that FoTZC and the communities are happy with our product.
Thank you to all of our contributors who have made FoTZC projects possible. To view an electronic version of The Focus, click here.
Teachers’ Housing at Oloipiri is Complete!
The teachers’ housing at Oloipiri Primary School is finished! Happiness Mwamasika, the FoTZC coordinator, traveled to Oloipiri to officially hand the keys to the house over to the community and to the headmaster, with the District Commissioner and Ward Councilor in attendance. While visiting Oloipiri, Happiness reported that the group was surrounded by several villagers who wanted to express their gratitude for FoTZC support. We wanted to be sure to pass that gratitude and message of thanks along to all of you who helped complete this much-needed project!
Construction Updates
The 2-in-1 teachers’ house at Oloipiri is almost finished! The building is done; the only remaining work is to install the gutters and water collection tanks before handing the building over to the community.
The dispensary building is nearly complete, with just some interior painting remaining. The staff housing for the dispensary is also within weeks of completion, with just plastering, window installation, painting, and finishing work left to do!
