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On 11/4/2010 9:57:12 AM Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 7 wrote
Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 7, with Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa held a project completion ceremony in Burnt Forest, Kenya, October 25, 2010. Our team working out of the Borror District of Kenya, led by Chief Petty Officer Phillip Hayes, turned over a school office building that we had been renovations for the last 60 days.
The ceremony, while not large, was a clear indication of the overwhelming gratitude that the school leadership had for our hard work. The completion of this project, in conjunction with help from the local Ministry of Education, enhanced the Burnt Forest people's trust and confidence in the Kenyan government's ability to provide essential services throughout the Great Rift Valley.
The administration building consists of three separate rooms: two offices and a library for the schoolchildren. When our team arrived onsite, the structure was an unfinished, unused building lacking doors, windows, finished flooring and finished wall surfaces. Overall, the building was not being utilized and the school headmaster and head teacher were being deprived of their offices. More importantly, the children were being deprived of their only library.
Our first task was the placement of concrete for the front and rear porches, then we moved to the placement of the interior doorways and floors. Being in a remote location like the Borror District, mass production of concrete was a luxury that we did not have. All of the concrete was made and placed with nothing more than shovels and a wheelbarrow. While a portion of the crew was working on the concrete, local tradesmen were lending a helping hand and trained the rest of us on the application and finishing of stucco using local methods. The cooperation between Seabees and the local laborers was a big contributor to the success of the mission as it not only improved our construction skills but also helped to highlight the value placed in partnerships.
"Burro de Aqua," a donkey we named in Spanish, brought water for construction use and provided a daily morale boost. When the donkey arrived, we got to take a well-deserved break and enjoy some time talking with the local man who drove "Burro de Aqua" to the site.
Our biggest morale boost came on the day of the completion ceremony. There, we had a chance to visit and celebrate with the children who benefited from our labors. The children shared some drinks and cookies with us. The most special part was when the children sang us a goodbye song. The song will serve as a reminder to us all that at the end of the day, at the end of all our hard work, the enduring partnerships with we've made will last forever.
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