Women's Center Wednesdays

Here's the women's center this week. I've had two of my close volunteer friends visiting, so Felisa and Michelle are featured in this week's Women's Center Wednesdays!

Michelle and Felisa!

And last but not least....per Lissa's request...Chandler and Erin in the literacy room! :)

Women's Center Wednesdays

After a lovely week of sunshine, I am happy to report significant progress on the women's center. I enjoy waking up every morning and sneaking a look at the center before I make breakfast. Now that the workers know who I am, I don't feel as bad traipsing all over the construction site to take pictures.

While the association president and I decided to wait until next week for a meeting in Tiznit with the Ministry of Social Development and for a trip to the bank for the next monetary installment, we did have a chance to meet with the commune's technician last night. He had some great feedback for the workers, including ways to make the structure more stable.

Everywhere I go these days, someone mentions the women's center. People are always quick to share their awe at such generosity on the part of Americans. Thank you again to everyone who helped make this happen!

Women's Center Wednesdays

So, in order to keep myself on the ball with women's center updates, I decided to initiate Women's Center Wednesdays. Every Wednesday, I will post new pictures of the Women's Center. This also gives people the opportunity to just read about the center's progress if they don't feel like knowing what I thank God for.

After a lovely vacation in Egypt, I arrived back to Morocco on Thursday. I called my association president the minute I stepped off the plane to hear any women's center news. He said, "Shoof, lmushkil iga is illa anzar bzzaf. Ur bahara xdmn." Which is roughly translated as "Look, the problem is there is a lot of rain. They aren't working too much." Now, hearing that scared me just a wee bit. Would I arrive home to see the same pile of rocks as when I left?

Thank goodness he was erring on the side of caution. I am VERY impressed with construction so far! It actually looks like a building. Also, I can hear the workers laying cement and stacking bricks from inside my house. This is a very pleasant sound to wake up to in the morning. Progress!!!

We are still waiting to hear from the Ministry of Social Development on exactly how many sewing machines and other equipment they will be donating. However, the Ministry of Health has confirmed that they will deliver their equipment as soon as the center is complete!

Now let's pray to the sun gods that we have more sunny days than rainy days over the next month and a half!

Women's Center Update

Since it has been a while, I think I will update everyone on the women's center! Things are moving along very nicely, albeit slowly, and construction is just around the corner. (Inshallah!) After a couple of weeks trying to choose a contractor, which were interrupted by Eid festivities, we have a contractor, a contract, a pile of rocks, and a down payment!

This past Wednesday my association president, the contractor and I signed a contract, which included the stipulation that the center must be completed by March 10, 2010. I hope we are able to stay within that timeframe!

It is raining today, but as soon as the sun comes out, construction will begin. Unfortunately, I won't be here to see the first stage of construction because I will be on vacation in Egypt. Thank goodness for my association president, who is going to take pictures and email them to me periodically!

Right now our women's center consists of a pile of rocks. Here is the pile of rocks (where the center will be). In the background is a pickup truck with the contractor and the association president. This was just after I handed over 35,600 dirhams as a down payment to get the project started. I left them and ran up my stairs onto my roof so I could take a picture before they drove away! I don't think they saw me! :)

Women's Center Update

Here is the latest on the progress of the women's center.

Eid happened, and the world basically stopped. And the world will stay stopped for just a few more days. At that point we (association president and I) hope to sign with a contractor, and start building.

However, before Eid, we were lucky enough to make some great progress!

1. The "neddi girls" and I met about a week and a half ago to discuss women's center funds. While more money will go to the actual construction than we originally thought (blame it on the bad USD exchange rate!), thanks to the extra donations from wonderful people at home, we have an additional $2,000 for the girls to spend. Everyone agreed that we will use some of this money to buy crochet needles, yarn, fabric and thread for the handicraft room. The girls had the opportunity to throw out any ideas regarding the use of the funds, and we will make decisions as the completion of the center draws near.

2. 2 members of my local association and I met to discuss the contract we will need for the center. We are looking locally (in my site) for a contractor, and my association president is currently taking bids. While the contractor will be employed to make the construction happen, the association president and I will make all purchases and handle the finances ourselves. I hope to have a more thorough update on the contractor later this week.

3. I spent a morning in Tiznit, meeting with the Ministry of Social Development delegue, and the Ministry of Health. Both are pleased to hear that construction is to begin on the women's center. Sometime in the next 2 weeks I will bring an official request from the association to the Ministry of Social Development for equipment and machines. At that point, the delegue will schedule a meeting to discuss exactly what their donation will be. The Ministry of Health is sending equipment to my local health clinic to be stored for use in the health room of the women's center.

More to come!