Diary, 5th October 2017
by Marielle Furter
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A Journey full of joyful Antipacition My arrival in Senegal on 21st September was accompanied by a tingling as well as reassuring confidence. Arriving in Sedhiou in the southermost region of Casamance after a 13 hour bus ride from Dakar, I was very tired but also happy and ready to get started. The next day I visited the village Goudiabya that is about three kilometers away. My new home (I am still waiting for running water) is about in the middle of the two villages. Since our new kindergarten project is close by, I can reach it very quickly by bicycle or on foot. It is very important to me that I am not only there to monitor the construction, I also want to get to know the village and its people. Bright Eyed Children, Happy Mothers I felt touched by the joy, the warmth and the gratitude that the people of Goudiabya greeted me with. The many smiling faces and the bright eyes said more than a thousand words. Curious children, pleased parents as well as the confidence and trust that the head of the village placed in us. The many pleasant encounters will not soon be forgotten. Every time I visit Goudiabya there are friendly words and shouted greetings from the village children.
We are moving ahead with big Steps.... A large group of men is getting rid of the brush on the building site, while in the mean time a seasoned architect is working on the blueprints for the kindergarten. The 70 x 70 meter large site that was signed over to us makes it possible to build a kindergarten with large, light filled classrooms. The kindergarten in Niaguis turned out to be a real "Jewel", but in the future we will be building the kindergartens with a simpler appearance, while still keeping our standard. This will lower the costs and the building will fit in better with the other school buildings of the region. „La pose de la première pierre“ will take place on 21st October 2017 (Groundbreaking Ceremony)
Together we are strong The many different meetings with all of the responsible people in and around Goudiabya, for our new kindergarten project, have been very satisfying. The building and the school inspector as well as the head of the village are making speedy decisions for the next steps before the construction begins. Successful Teamwork with our newly established Partner Organisation We have finally covered the legal bases with the support of ndimbal xale yi. The organization is a huge help to us in many different areas. (The offiial documents can be found by clicking this Link). The thorough planning that was done here in Senegal while I was in Switzerland gives the project a sound base. All the important planning sequences had already been discussed in preliminary meetings. So now that I am back, we can start with the realization without delay. It makes my work easier and I feel relieved working with such a competent team executing our second project. Primin Saxer, Hägglingen, Finances I am feeling confident and optimistic that this project will be a great success.
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