New Home for Sofia
January, 2009: A New, Durable Home for Sofia
Sofia, disabled by disease, is the caregiver for her seven grandchildren. Her three sons are also disabled by disease; further, their wives deserted them in the IDP camps. Sofia was identified by the community as the most in need of durable shelter. Her new four-room home and 2-door pit latrine cost Ochan $3,000. The wooden shutters and doors are coated with spent engine fuel. After application, the petrol evaporates leaving a carbon residue that acts as an effective, long-lasting termite-deterrent.
Literary Arts students, faculty, and parents at Carver Center for Arts and Technology, Towson, MD, were major contributors to this budget and are acknowledged on an inscription on the outer wall next to Sofia’s door. Sofia was given group pictures of both classes of students. Carrying them around the village to show to neighbors, she would exclaim: “Look at this! Look at these children! They live so far away. I’ve never met them yet they did this for me! I am so fortunate! These pictures will live on my wall forever. Apwoyo matek (trans. ‘a big thank you!’)”
Inscription between door and shutter reads: For Sofia, Carver L.A. classes of '08, '10
Ochan is raising funds to help build more homes for other needy families. As in the case of Sofia’s home, the community will make the building bricks for the walls. Ochan pays for the bricklayer, cement, corrugated iron roofing, wooden shutters and doors.
[...] The school’s name is not new to this village: it is carved into a plaque on the wall of a home built by the school’s Literary Arts students two years ago for a needy family. Neither is [...]