Manda foundation - Febuary 2017

Than we put up the first shade cloth. We had ordered two thousand square meters and only there was a roll of 70x4 meters.
Just a little too short so .......

Travelogue Kenia

Saturday 27-2

At 8:00 am the alarm clock and breakfast at 8.30.
We were picked up by James. He had all the gear, including augers, and we went out to build the shade hall. The people never saw an auger so I did my best to explain in my best Swahili.
The first five poles are standing up but it was very hot in the sun, around 40 degrees.

Monday 29-2

The poles are slightly larger than intended; 13x13 cm and 270 cm in length. And with that burning sun you have to drink a lot. The poles for the 1st shade field are standing but we need to place some in the middle.

Tuesday 1-3

After three police checkpoints, we were in the garden at 9.30. You can really see the watermelons grow.
We have placed the poles in the middle as a cube of five. So that the wires can be like a spider web. James said that the job would cost him three months.

Thursday 3-3

Again the same ritual at 7.00 am the alarm clock and then breakfast. James arrived at 8.15am and at first we went to the local Gamma to get wire and two bolts. The wire was slightly thicker than planned but at least we had something to tighten down the shade hall.
We arrived at the garden, and it was already hot. It rose to 47.9 degrees and of course the work is not done very fast. Sunburn and a hat and and working. And then you see a Kenyan walking by barefoot. Simply because they have no shoes. Than we put up the first shade cloth. We had ordered two thousand square meters and only there was a roll of 70x4 meters.
Just a little too short so .......
Called and the rest would come. At one point a motorbike arrived with the cloth. He brought 30x4 meters, just enough for one shade cloth. Called again and the rest would come the next day.

Friday 4-3

Breakfast and on to the garden. The shade cloth hung nicely! The watermelons are growing fast and the tomatoes needed some water.The rest of the shade cloth would be brought with a Matatu (taxi).
We also orded two plant tables for the plantation. These tables were made by the students who had chosen for the carpentry department. Six students and the teacher came with the ready made materials to the garden. Jan had brought some new saws and together with their old saws that made a difference of 1,000%. The teacher did not let go of the new saw. The cloth arrived and we could continue. All in all we got 500m2 of 2000m2 ordered, but that will be Kenyan way of doing things!

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