Do what you can, with what you have, when you have it: Building Kigali Parents Secondary School.
- While photographing cement pouring for construction at Kigali Parents Secondary School, the mantra “do what you can, with what you have, when you have it,” kept playing in my mind. KPSS is being built with help from the Oregon based Itafari Foundation. Sixth graders from Kigali Parents Primary School produced the 12 highest test scores in national exams this year. This story is best told through pictures.
- Mixing dry ingredients to make cement for the 2nd floor of Kigali Parents Secondary School.
- After adding water, the dry ingredients are shoveled into the mixer.
- Wet cement is emptied on the ground where it will be put into containers and carried to the floor site.
- Cement is carried from the mixing area, up the ramp and to the left to its delivery spot.
- Some containers are carried on the shoulder.
- Both men and women do the heavy lifting.
- The majority of workers carry the cement on their heads.
Walking up the ramp requires strength and balance.
Once up, workers walk on a planks to avoid damaging the reinforcing metal lattice set into the floor.
The same plank paths are used for coming and going.
At the final off load site, Buckets come down and are dumped into place.
Time to empty their load, go back down the ramp, and do it all over again.
In the final phase, the cement is smoothed out and left to dry.
The building of Kigali Parents Secondary School is being helped by the Portland, Oregon, non-profit Itafari Foundation. If you’re interested in helping this effort please visit, http://www.itafari.org/
The art of the cement pour at Kigali Parents Secondary School, Rwanda.
More posts by Adam Bacher »
Author: AdamBacher
Adam Bacher is a commercial photographer and photojournalist based in Portland, Oregon. He is working on a book project documenting Rwanda’s return to peace after the 1994 genocide. The people of Rwanda are its greatest assets, the strength of their accomplishments, the sorrow of their history, and the depth of their character. The Rwandans are an example of the potential of the human spirit to triumph over the worst of circumstances. They have many lessons to teach the world about peace.
5 Comments
2010-05-21
01:20:19
hi adam hows you thanks for the photos i am working in al ain raceway circuit dubai at mo so flat out got loads of help keep the good work up
thanks les
2009-12-09
17:27:31
Adam, again your photos and descriptions are so vivid, it gives me a sense of what is happening there. The peoples' resiliance that is revealed in these stories reaches deep.
2009-12-01
12:06:28
Adam, what you are really doing is showing how much concerned you are about our country . we really believe that people like you have been a force of help to where our people,country and all entries in rwanda have arrived at.we appreciate yo generosity
2009-12-01
07:39:46
awesome photos Adam - thanks for the update! I think you're heading back to PDX today so I wish you safe travels!
2009-11-22
12:21:23
Adam, once again you have captured the heart and spirit of the Rwandan peoples as they continue in their efforts to rebuild their country. There is a joy and inner strength that comes when we invest in ourselves rather than filling our bellies with entitlements. This is the essence you have captured in your photos. Thank you for sharing.