Our colleague and friend, Elyse has again undertaken the arduous journey to Voatovo – 1 day with the Taxi Brousse from Toliara and then a very long day with the ox cart – to get an idea of the progress of the school construction in Vohitovo, and to organise the purchase and transport of materials: – cement, iron, doors and windows.
Here are some pictures that document the process of the construction of a schoolhouse in one of the most remote areas of Madagascar – without road connections, without shops and without electricity. The pictures also show the commitment of the village people for their own school.
When Elyse arrives in Vohitovo, the rods for the walls are cut and ready for installation.
The village boys are collecting stones for the classroom floor and the porch. For this they use the small, agile local ox carts.
Next, they fetch sand for making concrete. The sand is transported in cloths and tarpaulins. There are no wheelbarrows.
Now a frame is concreted around the future floor; the inside will later be filled with stones and sand
Finally, they can start with the floor: first sand, then stones and finally a thin layer of concrete.
Cement is precious, especially because of its transportation. Only a few sacks can be carried on a small ox cart and it is a long day’s journey through rivers and sand banks to the next road.
Rods are woven between the pillars…
…and stones are filled into the gaps. The next step would be the plastering of the walls and the installation of iron doors and windows that have been ordered from a blacksmith in Toliara.
To say goodbye to Elyse, the children of Vohitovo gather to thank Mangoky Resort. They are really looking forward to learning in this school. The elders of the other two villages, Mitahy and Soatanimbary, have also come; they are very eager to start building schools in their villages, too!
We would like to pass on our thanks to the “Eine Welt Verein e.V.” in Bühl, Germany. Without their financial support, this work, which serves both village development and environmental protection, would not be possible! Great thanks and greetings to our friends in Germany!
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