Up! Up! And away…

March 9th at 9pm I will fly out and the mission will begin. As a case study for finishing my diploma at FAUP (Porto Architectural School), I've decided to volunteer and join A4A (Architects for Aid) in one of their humanitarian architecture projects. The projected on which I've been assigned is the construction of the LCCU (Lesotho Children Counseling Unit) centre in Lesotho. The building has been halted and an assessment, survey and new proposal and program will be drawn up in order that the building might finish to be built. Once this is completed a second trip will be organized and I'll be overseeing the building on site. The objective of this blog is to keep record of the work that is being done, both for the benefit of the members of A4A in London, FAUP to whom I'll also be reporting, my own record as well as friends and family that might want to know what I'm up to. Please comment on any post that you have an opinion, as this will undoubtedly help me in the completion of my thesis. Disclaimer: The information displayed on this site has not been previously edited or checked by any A4A staff and I'm the sole responsible for it's contents. A4A or any of the other involved organizations are not to be hold responsible on any account for what is published on this blog.

Monday, 19 March 2007

Fire! (weekend report)


The Children’s home has burnt down!

Today, Sunday the 18th of March, the LCCU’s current home burnt down. It’s a tragedy that was waiting to happen! Their old house was not fit for purpose and unfortunately such a disaster happened before the new one is finished.

Fortunately it was only the House, everyone is ok! But they are now homeless and this puts even more pressure on completing the project! If before it was important now it’s a necessity!

As you can imagine the priorities have now changed… Tomorrow we were to meet Lydia and show her the project but I didn’t know if she’ll be able to do it…

And we now have an added mission of checking the burnt house and make a decision whether to knock it down, or if it’s repairable to put a temporary roof, so that the children might have a shelter until the new one is completed? It probably could still be repaired and salvaged had the fire brigade not made such a farts ass of putting out the fire! Instead of using water to put it out they knocked the roof inside and let it burn… the result was that 4 hours after it was trying to relight again… People in the street breathing all the smoke, Lydia in the house next door crying! A whole tragedy! We called the fire brigade again to come and check it and they said they would but I doubt it… The walls are now cracked and might fall in at any moment. I just hope nothing worse happens! Tomorrow we’ll go and check what can be done?

Before we knew about this we met with another builder to ask for a quote. He was keen on the project and said that it was his company’s policy to get involved in charity projects trying to cut some costs… Might be a good sign?

The rest of our day, in between these two events, was spent at the Mahole Dam, truly an amazing construction and sight for the eyes!

The day would have been a great one if not for this incident that has tragically changed these children’s lifes…

No comments: