Construction is moving forward.
A new home for the homeless and orphaned children in Kalehe, DRC went from ideas on paper to reality this April, thanks to your generous donations! The main building is scheduled to be completed in July, and will be able to house 56 children.
The foundation and leveling was done by hand with construction workers hired from Kalehe and surrounding areas. You see here, the rocks brought in for the perimeter foundation walls. Big machinery is too expensive and impossible to get through the rough Kalehe roads. It is wonderful to have a talented local work force available to build with us. Not only do they share their talents with us, using the materials best suited for this area, but also by hiring local workmen and using all local suppliers, you help support the local economy as you support the children.
Cement blocks are being used for the walls, and metal roofing is going on a wood trussed roof as I type this blog. Solar panels have been ordered to provide a much more sustainable and stable source of electricity for the children. Lighting is key for safety and is a priority for us all. All of the windows, wood doors, wood bunk beds, tables and chairs are ordered and waiting for delivery. The plumbing, fixtures and bathroom tiles are at the the construction site waiting for the roof to go on to be installed. Everything is moving forward for a July move in date!
Walls of the main building are up!!
As we move forward with housing more children, and will need more sponsors for them, we also begin to think about the children who will “age out” of the orphanage at 18. Where do they go when no longer living with their new family at the shelter? No worries, we have a few years before our oldest kiddos are there…but plans are already in the works to use some of the extra space on Christophe’s land and his family’s adjoining property to do transitional housing. This housing would be smaller home sites near the ‘big house’ where those young adults may begin to use the skills they have learned to earn a living, without losing the bonds they have made with their Christophe’s Children family.
Christophe and some other board members are heading to Kalehe in July when the orphanage is complete. Their job is to check the building, make sure everything is as it should be, and welcome the 27 children to their new home. Also, part of their work will be to locate other children living on the streets without a family that need a home, and 55 siblings :) Stay tuned for more pictures from that visit!