#forikolo

Days 51-60 and Departure.

A few weeks have passed since the last update from Pepel. This post will sum up the final steps that took place on the construction site in April before the last member of our team left the site. - The last days in Pepel certainly were the most stressful ones we had in the time that we have spent there. The time pressure could really be felt, as the departure date approached quickly. Even though our team was gradually getting smaller over time, we managed to achieve a lot in these final moments. The collective effort drained a lot of energy from everyone involved, the students and the local site crew but the result was rewarding. Unfortunately, illness also struck our camp, so that we were indeed reaching our physical limits.

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Day 51 (Sunday), 7.4.2019 – The last classroom receives its final bamboo culms so that it stands ready for the ventilation layer made from bamboo mattes.

Day 52, 8.4.2019 – A larger batch of students flies out from the airport in Lungi, reducing us only about half a dozen remaining members of the team. It was a busy day with the first wall to be plastered in accordance with the recipe that had been developed in advance. A mixture that includes hydrated lime and sand from Lungi (which provides a much finer graining as the coarse sand that is coming from the mines of the North. Moreover, the colour is pleasing in its lightness that is by far easier to blend with the lime as the orange hue) as their main components.

Day 53, 9.4.2019 – The roofing is now the biggest remaining piece of work left and means that everyone is helping together to cover the rooms that have not been cladded so far, beginning with the niches.

Day 54, 10.4.2019 – In a concentrated effort the remaining workforce is focusing in bringing the remaining roofs to a finish.

Day 55, 11.4.2019 – As not enough roofing sheets have been delivered, we realize that we need additional ones to finish the work urgently. In a last minute effort to secure the supply, the local representatives of the community are asked for help to deliver the sheets by boat from Freetown, however an agreement can not be struck, meaning another boat crew is contracted to bring the sheets from the warehouse in Freetown to the jetty in Pepel.

Day 56, 12.4.2019 – As we have already extended our stay by more than a week our departure is nearing, and the outstanding work is still demanding, the roofs have not been finished, the teacher’s room is still lacking the missing roofing sheets. The crunch time leaves everyone tired and it is clear that our last resources of impetus are almost finished. However in the evening the sheets arrive by boat and some progress is made with the plastering.

Day 57, 13.4.2019 –As the final steps of the roofing of the last room take place, a technical handover of the project is executed with Klaas, the representative of Forikolo and the local workers. All the remaining areas were dealt with in order to give the most comprehensive handover possible and to ensure that when our team from Technical University of Munich has left the site the local community is well equipped to finish the building. As the roofing was finished during the day, all  the major building elements - foundation, walls and roof – have been put in place, so that the school will withstand the rainy season which leaves us delighted. Yet the project is far from being completed and important works still have to be executed. Though as the funds have been used up, the plaster, the screed and the furniture have yet to be completed. We hope that the money for these steps can be fundraised as soon as possible.

Day 58 (Sunday), 14.4.2019 – Official Last Day / Handover Ceremony – As the technical handover had been executed the previous day, this Sunday is the day for the official handover ceremony. Honourable Abu Mansaray ispresent and everyone who participated in the building process in any way (from the ladies fetching the water to the welders to the concrete crew to the masons and many more) is awarded a certificate. This amounts to more than 200 people overall, which of course the high level of involvement of the community. As everyone gathers under the roof of the hall, it is overwhelming to see everyone, and a sense of solemnity is palpable. It is clear also that our departure is imminent, so we use this opportunity to thank everyone involved and say goodbye. After the ceremony is over the fact that our time in Pepel is finally coming to an end really resonates with the group and despite our physical exhaustion a certain degree of sadness that we will leave this village takes hold.

Day 59, 15.4.2019 – Wrapping up - Our departure is organized bit by bit and we collect the tools to be left with forikolo and a final clean-up takes place. By now the rooms in which 20 people have slept during the peak times are almost empty and we are down to seven people on the ground. It is painful to say goodbye to everyone and to leave despite the school not being finished. However as the work has reached a point where we can see it will survive the rainy season our biggest worries are alleviated.

Day II.2 - Counting stock

Day 50 – Cleaning Day II / Roofing

Due to Cleaning Day a general prohibition of any work is issued by the government which translates to a standstill of the work on the site, as any violation of the ban may have serious consequences.

The involuntary break gives everyone the possibility to unwind a little and enjoy a relaxed morning. The first group of students is leaving the site today, as the official building time has elapsed and the end of the construction activities by TUM students is approaching. 

As the cladding is about to be finished on the library, the first rafters are being mounted in the last classroom. With the usual routine of work after the ring beam is stripped of its formwork the columns are set up in the rear and in the front. Furthermore the preparations for all the remaining rooms can happen as all of them have now reached the final height and are ready for the bamboo construction.

It becomes increasingly clear that with a constantly reducing amount of people on site and the last group of students leaving in the very near future, the next week of the construction is crucial if the goal of finishing the roofing is to be upheld.  

Day 37 - Moving ahead with the roof

The remaining bamboo mats were brought up the roof and fixed with the battens as to prepare the roof for the ventilation layer below the roofing zincs that will be achieved by means of more timber battens that serve to level the room. Climbing on the roof is not at all as problematic as it seems since thepa rafters are fixed in reasonable distance from each other in order to facilitate the walking.

The battens are fixed with power drills to serve as the both the fixing of the mats as well as the roofing zincs. For that a single batten is always fixed on top of a bamboo rafter with thread rods in which many screws can be drilled again without running the risk of splitting the bamboo.

Day 21 - All classrooms paved

The first thing in the morning was mixing concrete and paving the last remaining fifth of the western class room. This achievement amounted to having all rooms prepared with a rough concrete for the screed that will come very late in order not to damage it.

In the courtyard itself more levelling has taken place and the casting of a low strip of concrete that will seperate the gravel surface from the loose soil was started. While the soil was worked on in around the entrance a massive trunk had been found which will be dug up completely tomorrow.

On the rig more bamboo culm panels and a rafter have been assembled as the overall production quota has been increased. Temporarily the supply of bamboo had been diminished but now will turn back to normal as a new source in the jungle has been made accessible and the organisation of the workers has been improved. Upon arrival the bamboo is sorted according to quality, cut and washed before it will be stored in the bamboo shelf until it can be smoked. The oven itself now is running in a two-shift cycle and produces a steady heatflow above 100 degrees Celsius. In addition to the prolonged smoking duration this ensures a thoroughly treated and dry bamboo. Once the bamboo is smoked it is being transported to the carpentery workshop that we have built. Here it is being readied for assembly on the rig.

The bricklaying has sped up marginally as the masons' teams have by now gradually picked up pace. The final height levels have now been fixed on a timber batten that is attached to the wall. It is somewhat frightening to see how much we still have to go. Though on the other hand it is quite impressive to see the height marked and the mass of the building sketched out in such a way, sparking our motivation.

Tomorrow a day full of decisions awaits us. Scaffolding and formwork for the ventilation blocks will have to be designed for a precise and quick workflow.

Day 20 - Levelling the courtyard

As the brickwork continued course by course the walls grew up, to almost the desired height for the ventilation blocks to come on top. The westernmost classroom has been visibly prioritised for good reason to achieve a parallel workflow and to reduce bottleneck situations.

With a temporary lack in supply of granite and therefore a hold in the mixing of concrete much of the work focused on levelling the courtyard for the gravel surface that will be the rainwater drainage. As the levels of the rooms have been adapted to actual slope since the original planning process so has the courtyard. To transfer that change from theory to site was a gruelling act of calculation sweating in the midday sun as it required the area to be mostly empty.

The first column was assembled in the rig which underwent an impromptu redesign as the cement blocks proved to be too brittle to withstand the united forces of the bamboo team. The updated version will come into use as soon as the concrete is hard enough.

In the steel bending workshop the production of the the reinforcement cages for the ring beam progresses as always four thick rebars are tied together with the thinner bars that keep them in position and brace for loads.

In the evening a dry run of the ventilation blocks was executed on the highest wall to date to get a visual impression of the façade and to receive a glimpse at the multitude of technical complexities that come along with it.

Day 42 - Hot Bricks II

Another batch of bricks arrived as a hot load today as the truck arrived. Hence the anticipated spark in the production of the bricks that was pursuit with both an increase in manpower (as some men from Pepel were sent to the brick site at Mathen to support the team in place) and a different approach came to fruition and translated to an increase in material on the site. These bricks are urgently needed to complete the final rooms as the masons are working with an increased speed and motivation.  It is hoped to complete the masonry by Wednesday next week, April 3rd, in order to have enough time to complete the roofing before our team is leaving the site. That means that on average 2,500 bricks are to be used daily to reach this goal. Any delay in material will translate to an overall delay. This rises the level of stress among the team but to have this clear goal in mind helps to focus on the work ahead. The dependency on the material is of course not ideal, but as according steps have been taken to speed up the production, we are confident to achieve the goal. 

Day 39 - Hot Bricks

We were surprised and happy to see the truck pass by as we had dinner last night. It was loaded with a fresh batch of bricks which came directly from the oven. So in the morning when offloading them it was required to wear gloves and one could only touch them very briefly. The load lasted us a little longer than lunchtime. It was used to finally bring the library up to height so that the ringbeam can be finished here. Further more the support of the ventilation blocks was finished.

The women and men working on the ventilation blocks worked incredibly well in two teams and brought up the blocks to four courses with a truly astonishing effort and display of skills.

The cladding of the first classroom has been finished in a single day excluding the segments on the wall in what was an excellent showcase of straightforward work.

What's more the bamboo construction in the first classroom progressed well with all primary rafters up on the columns.

To complete the picture a large load of bamboo arrived in the big boat at the wharf. It is an excellent harvest of thick strong bamboo.