Kitenga Girls' Secondary School Dormitory Project

 KITENGA GIRLS' DORMITORY PROJECT STATUS - UPDATE   June 2014

Since additional partial funding was raised, construction of the Dormitory building was able to resume last fall after monsoon season. The goal is to complete the first of the two wings of the Dormitory (16 student rooms) by the end of this year so that the secondary school can open early next year. The steel ring band has been installed on top of the wall which rests above the top of the windows. This band will provide the support necessary to hold the roof securely in place. The roof is planned to be installed this summer. Please see accompanying pictures. Completion of half of the building and furnishing the dormitory rooms which will house 64 students, is planned for this fall providing that sufficient funding can be raised. All proper permits are secured and an approved contractor and construction crew are on the job. Great progress has been made so far thanks to the generosity of many donors. Please see the pictures below. We gratefully ask for your continuing financial support so that the Girls’ Dormitory and Secondary School can open early next year..

A copy of the Kitenga Girls’ Dormitory Project Donation Form is the first image in photos to the right for anyone who would like to make a contribution to help finish the dormitory project. Please highlite and click on the image, click on "full image", and then you can print out print out the Form. All of the necessary instructions are included in the donation form. Please give me call (which is on the donation form) if you have any questions. Your support is greatly appreciated. Asante (Thank you in Swahili)





 KITENGA GIRLS’ SECONDARY SCHOOL DORMITORY 

 PROGRESS REPORT 



Father John Eybel, M.M. and I thought that a progress report of the Kitenga Girls’ Dormitory construction project for our donor/partners might be appropriate about now, especially since it has been nearly two years since our African trip to Tanzania and the Project.





Since our December/January 2012 site visit progress has been made, but much still needs to be done before the Girls’ Dormitory will be ready for opening. At the time of our visit, the building foundation was complete and the first three tiers of the block wall for half of the building were also complete. Many of the building blocks had already been purchased, but not laid yet. I have included a couple of pictures that show the construction progress at that time.



Shortly after we left Africa, it was found that the builder that had completed the work so far was not a licensed contractor; so he was not able to continue work on the Dormitory. It took nearly a year to find a licensed contract that was willing to take on this Project at such a remote location and complete construction at a competitive price.





The new licensed contractor was also required to provide a revised cost estimate to complete the Project before restarting work. He provided a revised estimate to complete the Dormitory which resulted in an increase in construction costs; but he was then authorized to continue the work once he received funding. Also, during this time, several Government forms and approvals and other legal paperwork were required to be completed before construction could restart. As of now, all of the Government permits and approvals have been issued.

 

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: .4in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">Dormitory construction was restarted earlier this year. In June, the Immaculate Heart Sisters of Africa Mother General, Sr. Lucy Magumba, reported that one wing (half of the building), which comprises sixteen rooms (4 students in each room), was completed up to the ring beam level. The ring beam level is at the top of the windows. Next, a metal ring will be placed on top of the wall to provide additional structural support for the rest of the wall and the roof. Pictures of progress through June of this year are also included. Because the rainy season at Kitenga starts around June/July further construction will continue until after the rainy season in late September. Sr. Lucy goes on to explain that completing one wing of the dormitory will be around $69,000. Her priority is to complete at least one wing of the Dormitory as soon as possible so that the Secondary School can open. The Secondary School classroom block was complete when Fr. John and I visited the site over a year and a half ago; but the school can’t open until at least half of the Girls’ Dormitory is complete. This is because the students need a place to live while attending school. Sr. Lucy is hoping that the one wing will be completed sometime next year so that the Girls’ Secondary school can finally open.

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: .3in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">Your donations and support have made a significant difference in the progress of the Kitenga Girls’ Dormitory Project to date; and any further help that you are able to provide will help assure a successful completion of the Girls’ Dormitory and  School opening next year. My new address and phone number is: 1116 Acapulco Ave., Simi Valley, CA 93065, 805-955-0544. Please call me if you have any questions or need additional information.

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right;">Asante (Thank you)

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right;">John Michelson

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