Welcome to San Ramón, Ecuador: the site of our current project. The original school was a structure that could not protect against flooding, even though San Ramón is located in a flood zone. It also had exposed electrical wiring, thatch roofing that housed hundreds of scorpions, and weak building materials. We decided to do a full deconstruction of the school and start fresh.
We have designed a center that will function as a Basic Needs Delivery Center and a refuge for the village families during times of flooding. “El Arca De Noé” (Noah’s Ark) will be 30’ X 50’, with indoor and outdoor play/learning areas, bathrooms, showers, a kitchen, a recreation area, and sleeping quarters.
The slideshow above begins with pictures of the plans and the state of the old school, including exposed wiring, splintered floors, and holes in the walls and roof. The slideshow continues, showing the dismantling of the school and the building process up to its current stage. As you will see, this is a community effort, with even the smallest children lending a hand!
The first step was to completely dismantle the original center. The old materials will be transported to another location and used for repairs to reinforce one of the other centers. Try to imagine the children you love going to day care here and using these bathrooms….
The second step was to dig out a dirt “cup,” in which we are constructing the walls of the center using concrete, brick, and mortar reinforced with steel throughout.
The third step will be to build the center.
The fourth step will be constructing a roof made of metal, which will be dependable in all conditions and no longer a haven for scorpions.
Finally, we will install a water container, which will supply water to the bathrooms, showers, and kitchen. The water container will be refilled by a local water company as necessary.
I wanted to see the slide show mentioned in the above article on the Basic Needs Center – “El Arca De Noé” but I don’t see a link or where I can find the slide show. Please help!
Blessings
meeh