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Volunteers pushing up the water tower for the Gigante Community Health Center. Photo: Angela R. Kirwin |
A significant portion of the funding for the health clinic project has come from local
businesses in Nicaragua. These businesses are also committed to the sustainability of the project through financial
commitments for its future operational costs.
The community has hired a local contractor to build the clinic using as much environmentally compatible, local materials as possible. For instance, the walls will be made using earth bags. The earth bag construction technique uses natural soils from around the area to fill bags used for walls construction. When we were digging the footings for the retaining walls, we helped sift the larger rocks from the soil so the soil could be reused to fill the earth bags.
The community has hired a local contractor to build the clinic using as much environmentally compatible, local materials as possible. For instance, the walls will be made using earth bags. The earth bag construction technique uses natural soils from around the area to fill bags used for walls construction. When we were digging the footings for the retaining walls, we helped sift the larger rocks from the soil so the soil could be reused to fill the earth bags.
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KIRF Co-Founder Mark Kirwin with Bo Fox of Project WOO purchasing doors in Rivas. Photo: Kai R. Kirwin |
We
also negotiated labor and steel costs with a local welder and artist named Kenny in Rivas to build aesthetic security bars for the windows to protect the supplies and equipment
within the health center once it is completed. This is the same welder
whom we had previously hired to build the health center’s huge well tower for
the water tank. The well, well tower and tank were purchased during our
last trip to Gigante in April of 2013. Under the project supervision of
Project WOO’s Nicaragua Director, Bo Fox, the well was dug by local well
expert, Ramon, and the tower was built by the Rivas welder, Kenny. During
this last trip, we helped community volunteers to raise the well tower in its
footings. The raising of the well tower was an exciting event with the town’s
community leaders present.
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Little boy getting a bucket bath down the road from the Gigante Community Health Center. Photo: Angela R. Kirwin |
Another
step to preventing water-borne illnesses and obtaining clean water is proper
sanitation. To that end, KIRF and Rotary purchased all of the sinks,
toilets and plumbing for the health clinic. We also purchased a two-tank
septic system for the clinic to protect the ground water from being
contaminated.
We are looking forward to returning to Gigante once the health clinic is finished to help provide medical equipment and supplies for it’s operational needs.
Please let us know if you or your organization would like to help provide medical supplies for the Gigante Community Health Center: info@KIRFaid.org.
We are looking forward to returning to Gigante once the health clinic is finished to help provide medical equipment and supplies for it’s operational needs.
Please let us know if you or your organization would like to help provide medical supplies for the Gigante Community Health Center: info@KIRFaid.org.
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KIRF Co-Founder Mark Kirwin with Rotary volunteer Christina Rust, local Gigante Health Center Construction Site Manager Modesto, and Bo Fox of Project WOO. Photo: Angela R. Kirwin |
Many thanks go to Bo Fox, fellow Rotarian Christina Rust, the Gigante Health Committee, and fellow KIRF volunteers Angela, Kai and Makani, and other volunteers who are helping with the project: the Rotary Club of Ventura, and the kind donors of KIRF who all helped make the Gigante Community Health Center a reality.
Peace,
Mark
President,
Co-Founder
Kirwin International Relief Foundation
KIRFaid.org
Kirwin International Relief Foundation
KIRFaid.org
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