Basketball project II: building the playground at Msitu Wa Tembo

In Msitu Wa Tembo, there was not any basketball court. There is not an only meter of concrete ground. There is sand everywhere. Walls have usually roofs, so they are not suitable for attaching a hoop. Hakuna matata (there’s no problem). We are lucky that we are counting during this tough week with enthusiastic Mwalimu Max (mwalimu means teacher).

First, we were so lost that we even considered to place a hoop in this tree:

Mmm, plenty of children in that picture. Of course, each movement we have done during these days have been followed for an army of children, wondering what were these mzungus (foreigners) doing.

Mwalimu Max was more ambitious, and decided to build a structure for the hoops we brought thanks to CB Zona Press. Building had started. Removing sand, cutting trees for the support, digging, removing obstacles… Everything was going on so quickly that we got surprised. It is not being “pole pole” (slowly). Also, we needed to ask “fundi wa weldin” (the one who welds), to adapt the hoops.

 

 

Work was still going on, but we were happy that it seemed everything would be ready for starting on Monday, when basketball will start to happen in Msitu Wa Tembo.

On Friday, we could see the hoops already prepared for being buried in the holes. It was a hard day, cycling all around in order to get the bolts, necessary for attaching the pieces, but it paid at the end! It was also a good new that Hilary, one of the new trainers, came for taking a look and meeting the teachers.