The Guesthouse

With so much happening the last few weeks I was in Longido, I did not have an opportunity to post updates - sorry. I am including here photos of the roof in the making. First the trusses made from scratch onsite for the lower roof above the rooms...

Then they were hoisted into place and securely lodged in the brick face of the building.

Pine 3x2's are carried up ladders made onsite, placed across the trusses and nailed into place.

A coating of oil is then spread on all the pieces of wood to deter the termites. Termite activity in Longido is a real problem.

Then attention turned to the inner roof that we call the "mushroom". Long eucalyptus posts were first cemented deep into the ground to hold the structure. The roof is octagon in shape just as the roof above the rooms but this roof rises higher and will completely protect the inner courtyard from rain, thus creating another room. The mushroom roof will have a one meter gap between it and the lower roof allowing rain water to fall into gutters and into a tank. It, too, will be made of 28 gauge iron sheets but these sheets wil have intermittent translucent sheets to allow light into the courtyard.

Below is a view of the 2x6's that will hold the roof sheets.

Here are the two roofs. The mushroom roof has not yet been coated with oil so it appears lighter in colour.

One of the workers waves goodbye to me on Friday morning from the roof pinnacle. I left Longido just as the workers were to begin nailing the iron sheets in place. This is the building as I last saw it.

And here is Nai and some of the workers. Nai will continue to follow things closely for TEMBO. She has much experience in construction and materials and has gained the respect of the workers.