In partnership with African community leaders, we strive to improve the future for African kids by expanding their health, educational and economic opportunities www.ForAfricanKids.org They need a school with brick walls, a sturdy metal roof and cement floors. This will provide the clean and dry setting needed to let these children get the serious education that they desire. In addition, a hand-p
umped well is needed to provide drinking water as well as for use to make the molded bricks, which will be hand-made by the town’s elders. First the well will be built so that the town’s children have fresh clean water and that water can be used to make the bricks for the school. Material and transportation costs along with a water pump fee add to just under $3,000 for a total cost of $3446. Latrines will be built at the same time to improve health and sanitation in the town. The brick school will consist of six classrooms, one for each grade plus latrines, a central kitchen and a well. Plans have been drawn and reviewed by two Americans in the construction trades. The necessary well will be built first as the water is needed by the town people to make the bricks for the buildings. The cost of the school materials, labor and well has been carefully itemized and compiled by Harris and his contacts. Schools of this design have been constructed in Liberia before so the costs are reliable. The community will make over 14,000 6" x 8" x 16" inch blocks from a mixture of cement, rock and sand as the basis for the foundation and walls. Needed to purchase first are the wheel barrows, shovels and buckets along with cement and sand so that the brick making can begin. Other building supplies needed are too numerous to mention in total but include steel rods, nails, timber, anchor bolts, zinc sheeting. Once the blocks are made and the five acre site is cleared, an experienced 15 man crew from nearby will actually build the school rooms, latrines and kitchen. The government said they will provide teachers when the school is completed.
