It’s quite amazing how Walter gets projects up and rolling in matter of days. Construction of three classrooms has officially begun at Centro Escolar Catolico Nuestra Señora del Refugio in Ahuachapan (see April 20th post for more information and link to photos). As you can see, the platform that was previously a dump for garbage, old desks, and other debris is now a bustling construction zone with rebar sprouting all over the place. This rebar will reinforce the concrete pillars, which are the framework around which the “ladrillos” or bricks are laid. All in all, the buildings are very sturdy.

Walter also let me know that he is implementing a few changes to the construction process, especially as it relates to construction cost and parent involvement. As you know, The Least Among Us carefully avoids the role of sole provider; we make sure that beneficiaries don’t view us as limitless source of free handouts. Accordingly, we have always required that the parents of the school children contribute a certain number of hours toward the construction of each project–after all, the Salvadoran people aren’t lacking in initiative or desire to improve their lot, and I can assure you that they don’t fear hard labor in sweltering heat. They simply don’t have the resources to purchase the raw materials and get these projects started. They earnestly desire to turn things around so the economy isn’t working over their heads, but to do so, they need a little help from others.

So Walter has decided to try a new approach to projects. From now on, TLAU will purchase raw materials and electrician labor only, and the parents of the school children must contribute the rest of the labor. This isn’t a departure from prior practice, since parents have always supplied almost all of the labor, but now it is standard procedure that all schools are made aware of before projects begin. I think this is great, as the townspeople will be more likely to treat the school as their own, a place to be cherished and respected because it is there that children grow in virtue as they pursue truth.

For more pictures, please click here.