On August 21, 2007 The Least Among Us inaugurated a covered assembly area at the school of San Andrés in the town of Apaneca in the Department of Ahuachapán. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, over 220 students from Kindergarten through ninth grade will enjoy protection from frequent (and often spontaneous) summer downpours and the relentless Salvadoran sun.

After we agreed to help almost a year ago, the school sent us a detailed estimate with a project cost of $10,000. On paper, such an amount seems reasonable since we have built “techados” at other schools for as much as $13,000. However, when Walter went to observe the site, he quickly realized that the amount of materials and labor that would be needed to complete the project would be much less than the estimated 10K. In the end, the project was tidily completed for $2,600.

This situation is very illustrative of how a dollar is so powerful in the hands of an organization like TLAU. We exist to provide only what is truly needed, and for the most part that means raw materials. Whereas a dollar given to a larger non-profit organization would mostly go to overhead and filling the pockets of engineers and builders who stuff estimates with unnecessary expenses to fill their own pockets, TLAU has Walter watching every step of the way. How many thousands of dollars he saves us every year, all while consistently completing quality projects ahead of schedule!

For more photos of the construction process and inauguration, click here.