The training center project is moving right along. First thing this morning Steve and I went to the job site to count the number of cement blocks the project would use. We still had not talked to Dawda, the mason, to find out how much he is going to charge for the work. We needed to know how many blocks would be set so we could figure out how many rooms the building would be. When we build in the states the cost is figured by square foot but the Ghanaians figure the price per room. If they set 350 blocks it is considered 1 room and charged out accordingly. The way they calculate the building is very strange. They do not want to give a flat price of how much it will cost. They like to divide every step of the way and figure a new amount for each thing that is done. A price for digging the foundation; a price for pouring the footer; a price for raising the walls; a price for making pillars; a price for casting over the doors and window; a price for plastering the block; a price for filling the floors with gravel and on and on it goes. It is beyond exasperating because it is difficult to anticipate the cost of the whole project. They do this because many people only build as they have money. Very few people have enough money to finish the project once they start it. Ghana is the land of unfinished buildings! A half finished building secures the land and is considered an investment. Today we had Red come and sit with us when we talked to Dawda. Finally after about an hour of negotiations we settled on a price for each stage of the build.
When we were measuring to figure out how many blocks the building would take we noticed that the sides of the building are not the same size. Some of the sides are 26 feet long and some are 19 feet long. So much for the “Master Mason” way of laying out the foundation! Dawda never noticed the discrepancy until we pointed it out to him but by that time they had already laid much of the footer so we decided that was the way we wanted the building to look because there was nothing much to do about it. We talked to the carpenter / roofer and showed him the problem. We wanted to make sure that it would not affect the roof. He said that he could work with it and that when it was done it would be hardly noticeable. Really??
Today 5 ladies came to work on the project. One of the ladies speaks pretty good English; she asked if we could give them some gloves. The men that worked yesterday asked for gloves but not a single one of them were wearing them today. We will see if the ladies wear their gloves. I doubt they will wear them because part of their job is to fetch water; wet gloves are aggravating!
The water tanker brought water today; they took down a section of the razor wire so they could get the hose over the wall without snagging it; that is another job for Steve to do.
This morning Amama and Zorash taught me to make a new Ghanaian dish that we have never eaten. It is Groundnut Soup with Bra Leaves. Groundnuts are actually peanuts and the bra leaves have a sour lemony taste. It also has a little tomato paste, Dawadawa (fermented beans off one of the trees) onions and garlic. The soup also has raw peanuts that have been cracked into large pieces. It was delicious; something we will definitely make again.
Enjoy your day!
In HIS Service,
Steve and Kandie
