Dear friends, dear families and dear all,
How are you today? A warm and huge “Hello” from #RebuildMbinuDita site here in East-Sumba where we are right now at work to build this incredible school on the top of this hill. Here are some new pictures of the construction folks. As you can see, it is progressing well, and my faith relatively fast considering the remoteness and the immense logistical problems that we face with a huge smile every day.
I already told you last week, our 8’000W generator breathed its last. It was therefore necessary to find a solution as quickly as possible. Electricity for construction is essential, of course. We desperately need it for welding, for drilling, for sanding, for planing and for lighting the site because we also work in the evening until after 10 p.m. Evening work allows us not to suffer from the terrible heat that rages on the site during the day. From daybreak, it is already close to 35˚ and this can increase to almost 50˚ … in the shade.
The generator also allows us to eat, for example, cook rice, but also to light us in the evening when the solar panels are no longer sufficient, to control our cameras, our telephone devices, our portable computers in order to write you these few lines.
We were therefore forced to rent a replacement generator in Waingapu, the largest city in East Sumba, which has more than two hours of roads and paths almost impassable for half of them.
AND A LONG TIME FRIEND LIVING IN INDONESIA SENT US A MESSAGE: “-I HAVE A 3.5KWH GENERATOR WHICH HAS NOT BEEN USED FOR OVER THREE YEARS, IT NEEDS A GOOD REPAIR, CHANGE THE OIL, BATTERY, SPARK PLUG ETC … AND IT SHOULD RESTART. IF YOU WANT TO ORGANIZE TRANSPORT, I’LL GIVE IT TO YOU! “.
Wow, just brilliant! So a Huge Thank you with all our heart to Gilles and Sylvie for this beautiful gift for the foundation. This represents a “saving” of almost $ 1,800 for us.
No sooner said than done! We asked one of our deliverers in Bali to go and get this generator directly to bring it to our “Cargo” so that it is delivered to Sumba by road and Ferry, four days of travel. Today 17.10.2020 the generator has arrived in East Sumba and we will try to find a mechanical workshop that can repair it and restart it. Another challenge and puzzle for us here. As soon as it is ready, we will organize its delivery to the #RebuildMbinuDita site.
We are in the process of installing the window frames, the walls and the final roof which should be installed next week. We are expecting people who must come from Java to do this work because the roof covering will be made with Asphalt; this in order to collect rainwater, also dew, in order to store it in a 5’500 litre tank which is already on the site. As you can see the floors are rough cement and we use natural flat stones for the finishes. It’s very fun and it “matches” with the incredible nature that surrounds us. As much as we can, we use local natural resources. But apart from bamboo, stones and rocks that we find in nature, almost everything comes from Java. Again, Sumba is a very, very undeveloped island and building materials are scarce or nonexistent.
There is still so much to do you know. The list is long, very long: Installation of pipes for water, all electricity, the irrigation system for permaculture, classrooms floors, and of course all school furniture. In this regard, our fear is that the people who had undertaken to provide it to us could not do so. This for economic reasons linked to the pandemic. Therefore, we need 75 school chairs, 40 school desks, school blackboards, etc. This will be developed later another News, soon! But we are on the right “trend” and are still planning to welcome the children here, back to their school in November 2020.
To help us, to help them, you can make a donation here. Or make a bank donation to one of the two Swiss foundation accounts here by following this link. Thank you so much for your interest and benevolence for the #RebuildMbiuDita project Kawan’s.
Alexandre Wettstein – Fair Future Foundation – Swiss State Approved NGO – Sumba, October 17th, 2020
#BangunMbinudita #ReconstruireMbinudita #RebuildMbinuDita #KawanBaikIndonesia #FairFutureFoundation #Sumba #MbinuDita #SwissNGO #SwissOrg #SupportMbinuDita #FairFutureIndonesia #EastSumba #ActionForFairFuture #DonateForMbinuDita
