"Volunteer, work and teach on a placement with one of our projects in Ecuador"
YouVolunteer / infohub / Arajuno Road Project / blog. February 2008
When it rains, it pours.
info hub
I know that it is not directly related to our work with the children in the schools, but building the new volunteer house has given me an insight into life after school for Ecuadorians. From finding workers, to getting materials and organising the construction of a building, things are done a little differently in the rainforest.
Where I am used to relying on a phone book and the internet to recruit workers and gain materials, the jungle way is just to let someone know that you need something. Who that person is it not particulary important. Around here people talk, I mentioned to one family that I was looking for 5 people to help build a house, and two days later I had been approached by 10 potential workers.
Word of mouth is a great resource, but it means that there is a lag-time with everything that I need. To get anything quickly is near impossible, for example we needed some wooden planks to set the concrete in. About half a mile from us was a big pile of planks on the side of the road. While I could go up and physically touch the wood it took half a week to actually discuss buying them. Add to that, the fact that the house 20 miles away from the nearest town with builders merchants, organisation, and forward thinking is vital.
The workers here work hard, and say little. They are used to being told what to do and to get on with it. One of the workers came up to me to say that it was good working for me because I said thank you. These people may not have finished school, but there are many different forms of intelligence. A life in schools and offices means that I am embarrasingly bad at digging a hole. It does not appear to be that difficult, but there is a technique and I definitely do not have it. These people have learnt to adapt and use whatever there is available, where I am stuck without a particular tool, they make one.
Arajuno Road Project
The one thing that stops both me and them, is the rain. It will rain everyday between around 10am and 12pm. The ground becomes waterlogged, the holes fill with water and the path to the road becomes a mudbath. A large part of my day is spent emptying the hole of water, it is a good job that concrete can set whilst submerged. Even with the plastic sheeting the water still finds a way. Coming to work the next day is always interesting to see if you will be working in a mudbath or a swamp.
Despite all of the difficulties that are encountered with building a house anywhere in the world, the positive thing is that progress is being made, and the parallels with building a house and the Arajuno Road Project. We have started with what is essentially a blank slate, filled with potential, but a lot of work between where we are and where we want to be. There is a plan, that may not be the finished product as changes are made, and new scenarios are encountered, but as long as we keep going the progress can be seen. There is some fun to be had, and some difficulties along the way, but as long as the foundations are solid and secure the rest should be alright.
by Nick Greatrex