Cook Shack at last!

The new School Cafeteria Cook Shack.

The Cook Shack that was long under construction in Chipulukusu is finally completed.  The hard-working Kafwa that cook the giant pots of porridge for school lunches will now have shelter from the hot sun and cold rain.  Up until now, they have cooked outside subject to whatever the elements brought.

The long delay in construction was due to a lack of bamboo poles long enough to build the roof structure.  We wanted a super-sized school cook shack rather than a family-sized one.  The poles have to be 'imported' from the rural area (usually via bicycle) and the longer size is not readily available.  The art of making thatched roofs is being lost in the compounds near town where the schools are located.  The artisans can only be found in the rural areas where thatched roofs are still the norm.

First Graders occupying Cook Shack for the Day

The first day the roof was finished, the first graders all moved their desks into the cook shack for a field trip experience!  The next day, however, the cooks had fully claimed the cook shack and the kids were back in their classroom.