The Orphanage

Building the structure

Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6 | Page 7		June 2003
"The hole that Wes made" The Haitians don't set drain pipes into the foundation before pouring, rather they simply use large holes. This hole was dug with a hand chisel, through 14 inches of concrete foundation.		"A regular work day" Notice the leaves in the wheelbarrow. Water for mixing the concrete is hauled from the ditch located outside the compound in the barrows. The leaves help keep the water from spilling as it is hauled from the ditch to the mixing site.
"Walls are up" A second volunteer group in June finished the stuccoing.		"Modern soil compactor" This compactor is the first and only piece of machinery I have seen used at the building site. The operator let it continue running while he posed for the photograph.
"Floor poured" The Haitians hand mix the concrete, then pour the floors a wheetbarrow at a time.		Mixing concrete for the floors.
A first layer of stucco is applied to the walls by standing back five or six feet and throwing the mortar onto the wall. A smoother second coat is applied later. Some of our voluneer workers became quite good at throwing the stucco.		"The old plantation house" This house previously had trees growing in it. Soon this house will be occupied by work volunteers and families coming to adopt the children.
"Front gate" The gate is to the left of the photo. To the right of the photo there are local vendors selling "KFC".		"A new career in the making" Several of the female volunteers became very proficient brick masons.