Diary, Ziguinchor, May 22, 2015

de Marielle Furter I Bilder zum Tagebuch >> 

Hooray, we're getting started!

I have a wonderful feeling all the way down to my toes, actually, it's filling up the innermost part of me. The day has finally come, the months of preliminaries are over. My exhaustion turns into heavenly joy. Finally we can begin with the building stage of the kindergarten in Niaguis.

As if in high speed I see all of the different pictures of the last months pass before my eyes. Overwhelming emotions surge through me. It has been more than two years, since I had the first discussions and began with the preliminary work in Senegal. This past year I have been living and breathing this projectf 24/7, both in Switzerland and since the beginning of the year 2015 also here in Senegal. The days are long and filled with work, the hot and humid nights are short and only a couple of hours of rest have to suffice. But my vision and the very needy children I see here in Casamance, give me the strength every day to not lose sight of my goal.

These past few months I've been working on the construction planning and trying to understand and follow the "senegalise" rules and regualtions. That alone is quite a big job here in Africa, even more so as a newcomer. Simultaneously working in different areas of the building process, I am starting to grasp the conditions and necessary legal processes here in Senegal. and thanks to all of the good wishes and thoughts from my loved ones, the healthy bank account and the trust that is put in me, all of that encourages me time and again to keep going on this project. I have also profited personally from this intensive project. Because of the project, I have had close contact with the natives and the local customs, and that has helped me feel at home here in no time at all.

As planned, the supmitted offers for the new building were appraised and evaluated by experts an 5. May. In the end, after an almost 10 hour process, the building company KASSIKA was chosen and a contract could be closed. In three months the construction work should be done, right before the beginning of the heavy rain, that lasts from the middle of August until the end of September.

Saturday, 16. May - the big Day has finally arrived, here we go!
The first trucks have arrived with the material as well as a building troop. Mountains of cement and sand have been dumped, two trees have been cut down to make room for the building, a water pipe was put in just for our construction site, the building site has been levelled and the foundation prepared. Currently holes are being dug, shovel load after shovel load so the iron, that reinforces the walls can be bound in cement.

The heavy loads of sand and cement were brought and unloaded on the weekend, so the primary school children weren't at risk of getting hurt. For the same reason, a safety fence was erected around the whole construction site. This shows me the sense of responsibility and the thoughtfulness of our construction manager Sountou Gomis. Generally I have received lots of positive feedback in connection with the construcion company Kassika. I am very confident, that we made the right desicion by choosing this contractor. Also after inspecting a new extension of a existing kindergarten, I was assured again that they work with a high level of quality.

The president of the project group in Niaguis is on the site every day, he is enthusiastic and dedicated and his smile shows me his complete satisfaction. He is a primary school teacher at the school we are building next to. He is very close to the building site and is following the building process closely and conscientiously with an eagle eye, and that even in his free time as I have noticed.

In a couple of weeks, the long school vacation will begin and the class rooms can be used as storage for material. A guard has been especially assigned the job of checking and writing down all of the material that goes either in or out. He will be living in the school until the new kindergarten is fully constructed and so he will be around day and night. This safety procedure is very reassuring.

The project calls for close cooperation with the whole commuity. The whole building troop is accommondated in Niaguis and supplied with meals as well. This helps the kindergarten to get done faster. Even the sand comes from the site itself. It passed the severe examination of experts and now is being formed into solid bricks combined with cement and water. Every brick gets made individually and has to be dryed in the sun for at least two days, before it can get used to build the walls.

On Monday, 25. May we will start producing the bricks. It will be a personal highlight when the first brick is formed, and after that one brick, hundereds and thousands will follow.

I'm very happy, that I can at least witness the beginning of the construction, before I fly to Switzerland on 2. June for the wedding of Daniela Brunner. She is a member of the board and also my goddaughter. Even though I am convinced, that all of the people who are responsible for the construction of the kindergarten, will keep on working conscientiously even when I am not present, I would have loved to be there the whole construction time, just as planned. But because of my unexpected visit to Switzerland in February (see diary), the beginning of the construction has been delayed considerably, and so it is sadly just not possible for my to see it to an end. Yet it is also a concern of mine to try and find some ways to make the financing of another kindergarten in the region possible. My time in Switzerland until the end of August will be invested in this quest. 

Since the beginning of May I have an assistant, El Hadji Dieme a local, who helps me with my various jobs. On the one hand, the work I am doing is getting to be too much for just one person and I'm glad to be able and pass some of it over, and on the other hand it is also very practical to have someone who knows the local conditions and also someone who can help me with the communication. I have known El Hadji Dieme for three years now and he has been giving me lessons on the Kora, an African harp. I have always treasured his responsible and reliable behavior as well as his interest and our talks about my project in Niaguis. It is also his wish to improve the situation of his homeland "Casamance". His great knowledge of the historic background of the region helps me understand the local circumstances better. I am very grateful for his support, it is also helpful to not be the only person from kindergardens4senegal who has to tackle everything. El Hadji is now qualified to take over my tasks during my three month absence. And even though I am returning to Switzerland with the utter confidence in our partner organisation Federation Dimbaya, as well as to our contractor KASSIKA, it is important to me, that there is someone who will represent kindergardens4senegal in my absence.

Ruth Rychner, our assessor, will travel to Ziguinchor on 24. May and will accompany the project for one month. I am looking forward to her being here, and it will be a special moment for both of us to visit Niaguis together. I am very thankful for her great commitment in Switzerland and now also in Senegal.

I will carry on with our diary druing my time in Switzerland, so everybody who is interested can stay up to date on the construction of the kindergarten.  I will enjoy posting a diary entry every 2 weeks during this very exciting building stage. And of course I am also looking forward to every encounter in Switzerland, to all the conversations and exchanges involving the planned events (information will follow under "Events"), as well the personal visits.

About the events: I am looking for interested and active helpers, to assure the funding for a second kindergarten. The need is very great in this region.

The help can be by lending a hand and/or by organizing a Game Festival, an event with the Fairy-Tale-Tent, a School Event, an event at a workplace/firm/company, a benefit event of any kind (concerts, sport events, bingo etc.). Every input and every Swiss Franc counts.

Thank you for your effort, event or tip.

Contact:                               This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Phone No. Schweiz               076 715 78 86           (from 3.June until presumably the end of August 2015)

Phone No. Senegal                00221 77 844 51 55   (from September 2015)

Greetings

Marielle Furter