Week 8

This last week in Kibaoni has been really cold and foggy, but luckily by the end of the week the sun has arrived and we have enjoyed the Sunday morning chilling on the terrace.

On the working site, the week started with the ambitious proposal of building the exterior perimeter of rammed earth in order to place all windows in their proper location an avoid movements when tamping. We started with the corner, continued with the spaces between windows and ended up with the last corner before the door. We encountered different kinds of small problems (with the mixture, with the earth getting stuck to the formwork, etc) that made us learn and improve the method. The extreme lack of water in Kibaoni and the need of having new windows built every day have somehow hindered our everyday work. Nevertheless and even after having worked some days when it was already dark, we achieved our goal and next week we will finish the last façade and we will continue building the walls vertically.

On Tuesday we received the visit of the group of district engineers. They asked about the rammed earth procedures and the general development of the project. Another unexpected and grateful visit on site was our friend Elly bringing a truck of stones as birthday present for Lara!

On Thursday 1^st of September there was sun eclipse and for some minutes the light was dull and we could perfectly see the moon. This date is also Tanzania´s Independence Day and it was joyfully celebrated in Kibaoni Secondary School by bringing the Independence Torch and with the inauguration of new classrooms. All secondary school pupils were singing, dancing and shaking palmtree branches waiting for the torch to arrive, while all primary school pupils where secretly trying to enter the place to watch the whole event. Some musicians and acrobats made a show until the torch arrived and then some politicians and militars gave a speech. Afterwards we all moved to the football field where illegal impounded substances were burned.

Our Kenian friend Tumaina visited us on Friday and delighted us with different stories about Masai people and their culture. He is directing an organization that fights for the rights and the sustainable development of Masai tribes, adapting their lifestyle to new times but preserving their identity. We are looking forward to visiting him soon in Kenya at his Masai village.

This week we have had very foggy and cold days in Kibaoni.

After having problems fixing the side walls of the formwork, we decided to continue with the perimeter before building the walls vertically.

Javi chopping the banana leaves to use them as fibers for the cob mixture.

Some of the girls mixing mud and banana fibers to make cob.

Elia´s American Beauty scene with the remaining sawdust from making the windows.

Looking at the solar eclipse on the 1st of September.

Samosas time! Thanks to the mama who passes by every morning to the project site.

Placing the windows and the formwork to keep them straight while tampering.

Chilling in the garden while cutting the banana leaves for the cob mixture.

Primli and Priscus the carpenter making the window.

Birthday present for Lara! Thanks to Elli for the amazing gift.

Independence´s Day celebration in Kibaoni Secondary School.

Elia, Lara and Patricia with Mr. Matoli´s family new members 🙂