Yesterday we finished pouring the concrete on the second floor of BeLikeBrit orphanage, a task that took seven weeks from building the formwork to installing the rebar to placing the concrete.  The last pout was 55 cubic yards of concrete, the largest ever.  Unfortunately the mixer broke so there was more work by hand, but the workers stayed until 7:30 pm, pouring in the dark, to complete the job.  I have been very impressed by the endurance and dedication of these men.

Anel waters the slabs that are already in place.  We keep the concrete moist for seven days after the pour.

Cupdon oils the forms before placing concrete so the forms can be removed easily after 28 days.

Johnny carries water from the well to the mixer.  He just loves to have his picture taken.

Clebert fills buckets of gravel.

Emmanuel carries buckets of sand.  His English is quite good; I greet him in Creole, he replies in English.

Felix is the oldest worker on site.  He supplies water to the mixer from 60 gallon barrels.  He always sports his fedora.

Moyse is one of the four guys who stand in the mixing trough all day shoveling the green concrete.

The bucket brigade up the steps waits for a line of buckets.

Gascon carries buckets of concrete.  He has a very serious contenance, but I finally got him to crack a smile yesterday, though not for the camera.

Francois ferries wheelbarrows of concrete across the bridge from the hill to the second floor.  This guy runs all day long.

Enoch, another wheelbarrower, shows off his ski hat.

Dumping a wheelbarrow of concrete.

Jean Luc is a finish mason; he wears this sparkling hat every day.

Troweling the concrete to a smooth finish.

Gama is the clerk of the works and an indispensible part of BLB’s progress.  He is a snazzy dresser, but today he got his clothes dirty when he jumped in an joined the production line, which spurred everyone to work harder.