School Construction: St. Benet's School for Peace

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School Construction

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This page is about the building of the 'St. Benet's School for Peace' in the village of Chamalale which is about 8 km north of the southern Congo city of Lubumbashi

United Nations Congo Map

Map of the Congo

Plans for the new school building

The new school which opened in the autumn of 2005, is called 'St. Benet's School for Peace'. It is twinned with St. Benet's Catholic Primary School in Beccles, England; hence the name. It is from the Beccles area that most of the fund-raising for the school has taken place.

There is a pretty standard, well tried and functional design for schools in this region. The climate requires protection from the heat and sun plus, in the rainy season, water. Classrooms will have doors and windows but no glass is needed in them thus providing the needed shade and ventilation. All the school furniture was made in the joinery workshops of the Cit des Jeunes, the centre where older ex-street children are taught trades thus benefiting another vital project.

The stones for the foundations had to be brought in from elsewhere in Congo but the bricks were made on site. The roof is corrugated sheets. Along the front of the row of classrooms is a covered walkway to provide shelter from sun and rain.

This is the original plan for the school. At present, there are toilets only at one end.

School Construction The bricks for the build were made and fired on site. The roof is corrugated sheets.	School Construction - Foundations School Construction - Foundations	School Construction - Foundations School Construction - Foundations
School Construction Close-up of the quarried rocks for the footings and the walls under construction.	School Construction The walls are almost ready for a roof	School Construction Building the toilets. The sanitary installations are nearly finished.
School Construction The School for Peace in September 2005 nearing completion	School Construction Toilet block under construction	Mama Antoinette This is Mama Antoinette who donated all her land for a school to be built. All she wanted in return was a little house to live in.
The official opening ceremony There was a festive and colourful opening celebration	Archbishop Floribert Songa Songa Archbishop Floribert Songa Songa came to open the school in September 2005	One of the classrooms This is the inside of one of the finished classrooms equipped with furnitre built by ex street children.
The other end of the classroom The teacher uses a large blackboard to present work for the children	The school serving the local community The school opened in September 2005 to provide an education for the children of Chamalale	School Construction A typical school in Congo
Classroom Interior Typical classroom furniture	Classroom Interior Inside a typical; classroom

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