Paul Bouma, Assistant Manager of Bowens Mt Evelyn, says a recent project in Uganda, was one of the most rewarding projects he’s ever been involved in.
The project was the building of a village of 22 houses, and an admin centre, which is part of a wider project creating micro-enterprises for orphans and widows affected by the AIDS crisis. The project was co-ordinated by Hope Builders, a charity organization, headed by Andrew Boonstra.
“Andrew is one of my mates”, says Paul. “He and some other guys started up Hope Builders, and they basically organise building projects in Third World countries.”
In January, Paul headed to Uganda with a small group of other carpenters and builders, to work on the village for a month.
“We completed two buildings in that time”, he says. “Each building houses eight kids and one house-parent. Bowens donated the timber, tools, spades and shovels, mainly specialist tools you just can’t get over there.”
When Paul arrived in Uganda, they had the opportunity to go into some of the slums and meet some of the children who were going to move into the orphanages. In the slums, these children would be sleeping under bits of corrugated iron propped up with sticks.
“They don’t have parents as they’ve all died from AIDS”, says Paul. “Seeing the kids and the condition they were living in gave me a lot of motivation to get the project done and get the kids in there as soon as possible.”
The buildings constructed for the village were mudbrick with a colourbond iron roof, rendered from the outside.
“There is also an outside kitchen, a toilet, bathroom, and shower, all with running water”, says Paul. Paul says the difference one house can make was what made the project so rewarding. “I felt like we really achieved something and made a difference – it was a very rewarding project to be involved in.”