Week Thirteen: Mayo Building Workshop hosted by Mayo Women’s Association – ‘Dalu for Development’

The domes look great, but the team was showing signs of fatigue - though we caught a second wind at the end of this week. We have only actually worked eleven weeks on the building itself (discounting tear down and the week off for Eid), nevertheless, it has taken longer than we anticipated.

Looking good with the second of four anticipated coats of plaster finished - though
several people commented that they missed the pink bags. We explained
that the bags would eventually disintegrate in the sun, so the plaster is needed.

The engineers (Mubarak and Mujtaba) pose in the arches of their team created steps

The end of the week showed some great progress in spite of the weariness, and had some good benchmarks! In addition to the plaster, the electricity was installed and by the end of the week, the conduits were covered in plaster, and the beams set.

The team needed a couple of team meetings this week as patience was getting short and some of those that came from Darfur are missing 'home'.

The team without their usual exuberant faces, yet determined to
complete a great project for the world to see!

The prospect of completing the workshop, and having an amazing building to show to the world at the opening ceremony where they will receive their certificates was good incentive to keep going. We all want it to be great! and to set the course for some new projects and prosperity in the Sudan.

Still signs of triumph from Mohammed Isaa!

Hard work and team spirit still alive! as some of the team members take over the
camera duties for several days this week

Engineer Mujtaba collects dirt, that has been filtered through the team's
homemade sifter, to make plaster

Rihab and Suliman looking cheerful for the camera operated by Lila 

The USAID engineer Amir paid us a visit this week along with the AECOM's US-Sudan representative Jason. They spoke to us about 'the next steps, ' which we would like to take place in Darfur with an ARC Peace project. The Haggar folks and the AECOM team will follow up with the women's organization in Dalu for business planning, so we are already working with them to plan for the future.

AECOM US/Sudan (Jason) speaks with Djo and USAID engineer Amir
early in the week when we just were starting the plastering

Djo talks with Amir (USAID engineer)

Adam assists Doc in buying
electrical
fittings at a Souk Sagana

Abdlrazeg, Rashid, and Abubaker work together to place a very heavy ladder to continue
working on the external plaster

For the electricity, our ARC Peace advisor Najlaa brought in some of their company electricians to install the fixtures before we began the internal plastering. They did a good job and did it quickly.

Electrical conduits installed on the arch and in the domes, ready to be embedded in plaster

Djo points to the embedded conduit with the fixtures ready for the external plugs and
switches after we finish the smooth plaster coats next week

The ladies take a break at the end of a long hot day

The guys take a break whenever they can... it is hot and tiring!

Abubaker measures the center line
of the i-beam

Architect Mubarak works on i-beam
placement while
Architect Najlaa helps out

Mathi and Djo place the support i-beam - the welder will come to fix them in place
along with the windows next week

Now everyone can take their coffee breaks inside the dome 

And the men as well as the ladies help prepare the coffee

Amjed and 'Big Red' sneak away to check their cell phones in the shed

Amjed looking macho!
We discovered this week that he is studying law at the university and
that he is a skilled worker with gypsum... we are looking forward to his handiwork next week

Fatima takes the opportunity to check on her kids during a break... they are in the nursery
on the compound built by UN Habitat

Fatima back at work! The women from Dalu for Development are pleased that they will have a
new and beautiful building for their training center that they actually built!! 

Mathi - the trainers  from 'For A Purpose' also need their cell phone breaks..!

Lila takes a picture of Abdlrazeg sweating but smiling at the work's progress.
He is our city council member training with us while active in his community.

Rashid - team leader from the Malam project - remains positive and focused, though very much
wanting the project to be finished so he can return to his home in Darfur

To help us through the last stretch, Doc agrees to take the team on a picnic to Jebel Aulia
on Saturday

We are looking forward to the picnic at Jebel Aulia and a visit from Mr. Maher - owner of AFRA Plastic Industries - as well as from Catholic Relief Services and Hassan Salah from the Rotary Club.

And Bernard prepares to hold down the fort for the weekend!