October 24: Additional Jobs

It was back to a normal workday on Thursday. However we are getting to the end of our project and we have fewer and fewer jobs and the same number of DWC volunteers. So rather than trip over each other Doug arranged for a couple of additional jobs that would keep some of us occupied. One of those was the digging of a waste hole that measured 5'x5' by 5' deep. Due to the hard clay base it took 6 people all morning working shifts to dig the hole. Others in the group were either assisting the local tradesmen with the finishing rock work or helping to bring trays of cement for the finish around the remaining doors and windows or for the specialists that were laying the top finish on the floor of the large room.

They ended up completing around 75% of that floor by quitting time however we did not see that as we left the job site at around 2:00 so that we could do cultural tours of typical Gashoran homes. We split the DWC workers into three or four groups with each having the opportunity to go to two or three different homes. When comparing notes afterward the stories were all the same. The poorest homes were usually no more than two rooms without electricity or water and very little on the way of windows or kitchen facilities. They usually have either dirt or cement floors and the beds are tatami reed mats. Cooking (when there is actually something to cook) is done outside over a small fire. There are usually very little personal things around the rooms. It brought home to all of us how. very, very lucky we are in the developed world. Also it reaffirmed the importance of the type of projects we do for DWC. What we are doing at Covaga will allow for more persons in this community to earn money and be able to assist in providing for increased living standards.

Rick Henery
DWC Volunteer Participant
Rwanda, October 2013