News from Senegal, March 2024
Final Spurt Before the Easter Holidays Who hasn't experienced this? In your mind you have a -relatively- small project, but in the end the effort is much greater. That's what happened to me with the office, which I had already started up to the roof last year, together with the entrance area of the kindergarten premises, which still needed to be closed. Now, however, I am particularly pleased with the successful implementation. The benefits, quality and safety, as well as the overall appearance, are a source of all-round enthusiasm.As so often, it was worth it, even though the final work was only completed two months later. I liked the idea of loosening up the wall with wrought iron grilles on both sides of the door right from the start. But the implementation posed some challenges, especially at this size. I was already challenged when drawing the pattern, and even more so when communicating the individual elements of my desired design to the welder. However, in close cooperation with the well-meaning Mamadou, we achieved the result "petit à petit", which more than satisfied us both. To ensure that the enormous grid, which is almost 4 m long, would hold up even if the children were to shake it around, I involved Mamadou in the positioning and brickwork, who welded the connecting links of the frame to the iron reinforcement before everything was cemented. Our logo plaque was also integrated into the iron pattern, which adds a colorful accent to the whole thing. Furthermore, my template for the design of the door was no easy task for the blacksmith. In the upper section, I planned the lettering with the name of the school, but for the decoration in the lower section, I suddenly had the idea of two kindergarten children, which were to be shaped and welded on. It was a challenge, but Mamadou managed it wonderfully with a lot of patience and interest. With this final part of the enclosure, nothing stands in the way of the outdoor playground, which the children enjoy so much during the break. It is also a great feeling that both the director's documents and the play equipment can be stored safely in the office. The voracious termites and the destructive moisture during the rainy season no longer cause any damage, especially with the installed floor panels and raised shelves. So I'm looking forward to the upcoming school vacations with complete satisfaction and peace of mind, which will also mean a break for me. I'm looking forward to two weeks by the sea with some cooling off and pure relaxation. After that, I'll be supporting other kindergartens with the play program, but now without any construction work at the same time. Being able to concentrate solely on the children is a great relief... and a joy anyway. >> more pictures |