Associação Nos Saúde - Work Begins

Water Tank

We were very excited when our proposal for the Nós Saude health clinic was approved.   In Cabo Verde access to an assured source of water can be problematic.  Therefore every building has its own water reservoir located on top of the building.  Associação Nos Saúde, needed a water tank to put on their roof to support the new bathroom. 

Here is what purchasing a water tank looks like:

Raimundo Monteiro, President of Associação Nos Saúde, and Elder Biven discussing the merits of various water reservoirs.

To the right, a workman inside the tank cleaning debris from the drilling of holes for various connections.

Raimundo with truck driver and helper discussing the best way to load the tank onto the truck.

Later, moving the water reservoir onto the roof of Pilorinho Community Center.  Like most things, this was a group effort.

Easy!

Cement Blocks

After purchasing the water tank and getting it on the roof, we went to buy cement blocks, cement and sand for the interior construction.  

Cement blocks are manufactured here in Cape Verde.  Cement can be made from volcanic ash and lime, so there isn't much of a shortage of supplies to make the new blocks.  They mix the elements up and then use a kind of block pressing machine, it creates blocks using molds.





After the blocks are formed, they are left dry in the warm Cape Verde sun.













Raimundo and our construction supervisor unloading 50kg sacks of cement.

This week, Raimundo, and volunteers from Pilorinho will begin construction.  Raimundo has already secured firm commitments from volunteer doctors and nurses for staffing the "Consultório Social" 


In addition, we have commitments from other NGOs, local companies and the local municipality to provide needed furniture, equipment and supplies for the operation of the clinic.