Archive for January, 2011
15 January 2011
Contract signed for Macalaco school
This week Mario, the builder we worked with on Lequeracab’u school, signed a contract to build a new three classroom building at Macalaco. The new building will allow all of the area’s children to be schooled and still manage the long walk home before sunset. The construction cost will be $US25,000 and is being funded by an Australian family- however we hope to raise extra funds so that we can help the village in other ways.
project: Macalaco East Timor
11 January 2011
More Donated Furniture for Spend it Well Schools
To reduce deforestation, the East Timorese govt has put strict controls on the use of new wood. Rotary is helping to address the resulting shortage of school furniture (made of wood) by shipping used school furniture from Australia to East Timor.
Our school at Ostico was the beneficiary of some of this furniture last year. Now Rotary has provided Spend it Well with more furniture for Ostico, Lequeracabu’u and also the two new schools we plan to build this year at Maucale and Macalaco.
 
project: Lequeracabu'u East Timor, Macalaco East Timor, Maucale East Timor, OSTICO EAST TIMOR
10 January 2011
Macalaco, East Timor
Macalaco is a small village in stunning mountains, 3 ½ hours drive from the East Timor capital, Dili. Over 130 students and teachers walk up to 4 hours each day to Macalaco school from nearby peaks and valleys. Due to space constraints, the school’s six classes have to operate in two shifts: three classes in the morning and three classes in the afternoon. However, many children cannot attend afternoon classes safely because the sun sets at around 6.30 in East Timor. An extra 3 classroom building is needed to enable all children to attend classes in one shift with time spare to walk home safely to adjacent peaks before dark.
Mario, the builder we used for our Lequeracabu’u project, has been engaged to build this the extra building for US$25,000. An Australian family has offered to pay for the entire construction of the new building and plan to be involved with the village on a long term basis. With this generous family support, we will begin construction as soon as the rains let up. There are many other ways Macalaco village can be helped though, so we are also looking for support for things like school books, scholarships and possibly a sporting court. Can you help?
| Before photos |
 |
|
 |
|
| School site |
|
Current school building |
|
 |
|
 |
|
| Students outside |
|
Students inside current classroom |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
project: Macalaco East Timor
09 January 2011
Maucale School to cost $35,000
Agostinho has negotiated a cost of $35,000 for the Maucale School. The school needs to be constructed to withstand the high winds in the area and will have solid concrete foundations and a roof guaranteed by the builder to last 25-30 years. Simon, Agostinho and Dinis are meeting with Rozi, the builder this week for further discussions. We’ll be in a position to start work as soon as the rainy season finishes if we can raise the remaining funds needed.
 
project: Maucale East Timor
06 January 2011
Maucale Project
Maucale is a small village in a picturesque part of East Timor about 3 hours drive from the capital, Dili. The village school consists of a 3 classroom building which can’t be used in the wet season and threatens to collapse at any time and 3 tiny classrooms crammed into another building. The school has 258 primary and secondary school children. The building situation means that many of these can’t be schooled at all during the wet season, even with the teachers running two shifts each day. There is a very strong sense of community in the village. One of the teachers who has been there for 21 years said very simply that education is the only chance for their children and is the absolute priority for the villagers.
We are planning to build a new three classroom building. Because the site is better than that of our last school project at Lequeracabu’u, it can be built stronger and to last longer with a steel frame, beams and deeper foundations. Estimates put the cost of the work at US$40,000 – US$50,000 and we are currently in negotiation with two builders. We have raised some of the money and are hoping to raise the rest at the beginning of 2011 so that we can start work when the wet season finishes in March/April. You can make a personal difference by getting involved in supporting this vital project. Contact Spend It Well
project: Maucale East Timor
|
