Tradesmen have returned from a second trip to help with building work at an orphanage school in Kenya.
Mr Jonathan Marshall, owner of Newark interior fit-out company Uneek Projects, was joined by Mr Richard Channer. Mr Paul Hawthorne and Mr Chris Jackson also helped with construction work at St Irene’s School, near Mumias.
The work involved demolishing a toilet block to create a sewing room and the construction of a new kitchen. They expanded steps to enable new cookers to be used safely, and installed a new roof between the school and the kitchen and a concrete walkway between the buildings.
“In the UK this work would be fairly straightforward but in Kenya it’s slightly different,” Mr Marshall said.
“Scaffolding was made from cutting down trees, wood had to be bought from local suppliers who had just cut them down, bricks were handmade, concrete lintels were made on site, the local ladies cleared the rubble by carrying it on their heads, and the children were under your feet between lessons.”
He said the weather also made things difficult — it was either 35ºC or raining so hard the roads turned into rivers.
During the stay the team attended a church service, visited a local hospital and visited children they have sponsored.
Mr Marshall said most homes were basic and consisted of one room where the family slept and ate. There was no electricity, toilets or running water.
The group hopes to return next year to help with a medical centre. They intend to start fundraising in the new year. To help visit www.thenasiotrust.org
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