July 15, 2008 - Sorting Things Out
Yesterday we visited the D.C. We were not planning to go but decided we should. Upon our arrival we found a nursery school using our building. The building was a mess with a lot of dirt on the floor. The cooks had been told that the nursery school was to use the large room while we were permitted use of the smaller room. This made me angry since I’d been led to believe that the whole building was to be used for the orphans. I asked if I was only to occupy 1/3 of the space why was I to pay such a large amount for restoration of the building. I was told that the parents of the nursery school children had paid a small fee already for upkeep of the building. After some discussion it was decided that the nursery school children would find another spot to do their work. I feel somewhat bad about this as the place is meant to be used by the community. My concern though is that the place was left in quite a mess. I am also not sure if I can trust the nursery school workers to leave our food alone. Will they take what is not theirs?
I was also surprised by the amount of oil and beans the cooks are using. We brought them oil which we thought would last for 2 months and already, after less than one week, the oil is almost ½ done. I spoke to them about using less and explained that the food is meant to last for a long time. I poured one week’s supply of oil into my small water bottle and left that with them for use for the rest of the week.
Today we returned. I was pleased to see they had used less oil and beans.
I was able to have a bit of conversation with some of the children. I was standing just outside and I heard them singing and playing. When I went in, they continued to sing and play. In the past, they would have stopped upon my arrival. This time I was pleased to see that they continued. I recorded them with the video camera and showed them. They loved that. Yesterday I gave them some bubbles. They laughed and played for a long time. Today I saw that they have more bubbles. I’m not sure how they got more but they weren’t shy about showing me how good they now are at blowing them.
I need to learn to say “Do you like” because I found our conversations limited today. I guessed which grade they were in and told them that I teach “standard” 1. They laughed with me and tried their best to talk to me.
The cooks too came to talk to me. They told me I looked sad. They showed concern. I found that very touching.
The Chairperson of the CBO (Community Based Organization) agreed that I should pay for reconnection of water and K7200 in lieu of rent. The money was to pay for finishing touches on the building such as glass and filling in of holes. I also agreed to pay for finishing construction of the kitchen which means putting on a roof. Today the boy who is building the kitchen and toilet came and told me that he had been told I’d pay for all of his work. This was far more than I had agreed to pay. I don’t know what is happening in terms of who is to pay for construction of toilets but I was never told that all the cost would fall to me. One thing I know for sure is that I need to install a door with a lock in the building so that our things are secure while the nursery children are there.
I bought 1.5kg of beef today for K750 which is about $5.00. Tomorrow’s lunch of vegetables, rice and beef for 9 children will cost about K1100 which is about $8.50. Eggs and bread for Friday’s breakfast will cost about K620 or about $4.50.
Start up costs are greater than I’d anticipated but the food costs seem to be as expected. Of course I didn’t factor in the need for salt and sugar and such high quantities.
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