The Kids Who Live Upstairs

So, here's the situation:

Up on the mountain there are rows of orphan homes. Currently only the top row is filled. The Central Dining Room is on the row below these homes. To get to the Dining Room for each meal the children have been walking down the road or cutting through the bush.

This isn’t ideal for a number of reasons:

(1) Children running on the road is a universal no-no.

(2)  Children cutting through bush = mud on their feet = extra cleaning in the dining hall.

(3) Children cutting through bush = children tripping and falling = not good.

What is ideal, however, is that the G & J Paving team (Edmonton, Canada) has spent the last week in Bulembu and in partnership with local workers they have built a new staircase that connects the upper Dvudvusi row to the Central Dining Room.

“Building the staircase was very important for the Dvudvusi Orphan Care Program,” says Vernon Puttkammer, BMS’ Director of Orphan Care. “It’s important but not a priority enough to actually get done quickly. So when the G & J team came and offered to do the work for us we jumped at the chance. We really appreciate all of the hard work they put into building the staircase – it will make a big difference for the children.”