Community transformation in the rural areas

8 years ago (March 2018), we built a Community Centre in a remote rural Village.  On completion it was handed to the community and has been heavily used ever since. The Nursery School there had over 100 children preparing for primary education, and it still hosted all the social and civic events locally.

However, time and termites had taken their toll.  

On assessment, we found heavy termite damage in the roof timbers, doors and door frames.  Walls had developed serious cracks, the floors were dangerous and crumbling due to heavy wear and the custom-built metal window frames broken, but the concerned villagers had neither the resources nor expertise to bring the building back from the brink.

So we helped — the roof was removed and reconstructed with new treated timbers, and the metal sheets carefully reused, along with any other materials that could be recycled.

The work has just been completed and the heart of the village restored!

It’s transformed the lives of 1,500 people locally, plus those from 6 other villages covered by the nursery and under-5 clinics, along with hundreds involved with many area meetings held here.

Importantly it also provided work for 18 local craftsmen/labourers, transporters, plus 3 teams of wood cutters, carpenters, and brickmakers, and local suppliers of building materials. It’s all much-needed income!

But that wasn’t the end—we also built a public toilet behind the Centre. It has 2 compartments (1 latrine, 1 washroom), over a 4m-deep pit covered with a cement floor, surrounded by a sturdy building for privacy.  There is no other toilet facility close to the Centre — hard to imagine how the children managed at nursery school — so it’s an invaluable addition to the whole area.

‍