Altos de la Cruz Remodeling Project

In early June we sent our first contribution for the remodeling of the school. We sent $3,000 to Foundation Jera in Cali , Colombia which is the organization that will be managing the remodeling of the School. The remodeling started in June 15 and it is expected to be completed by the end of August 2004.

Status on July 15, 2004
Water tank: The concrete foundation and the supporting walls for the tank have been completed.
Toilets: The walls, roof and installation of water pipes are completed. The facilities will include two regular toilets, 1 urinal and 1 sink. An internal wall was removed to give space to one bathroom for the teachers.
Status on July 29, 2004
The toilets are almost finished the only thing left is the installation of the bathrooms' equipment.
The other modifications inside the school are almost completed. The work to prepare the foundations for the cafeteria started. We are sending another $2000 to complete the construction.
Status on August 8, 2004

The ground where the cafeteria was leveled and a retention wall was built. They are in the process of building a beam to add support to the retention wall. The exterior of the school is being painted.
Status on August 18, 2004
The beam to support the retention wall was finished. This week they are letting the ground to settle before starting with the walls. They painted the interior and exterior and put the doors for the toilets.
Status on August 23, 2004
They started with cafeteria walls. All of the inside and outside paint job is completed, They finished closing the wall where the old main entrance was located.
Status on August 30, 2004
The work is almost finished at the school building. The paint job is completed. Now they are doing general clean up and electric installations. The walls for the cafeteria are almost complete.
Status on September 29, 2004
The work is completed! the first day of school after the summer vacation took place in the middle of September. For most of the children it was a great surprise to see the school's "new face" The toilets were the big sensation. For some of the children it was the first time in their lives they used real toilets. Some asked "are these toilets for us?" "does it mean we don't have to go to the out house anymore?" According to the teachers, the children kept asking every five minutes permission to go to the toilets.

Detail of expenses until now:
Construction Material: $2650
Labor: $1600
Bathroom equipment $270