By Kasia Mychajlowycz

With the ring beam completed on both the classroom and dormitory buildings, the Maasai Women Secondary School is finally taking its shape as a recognizable shelter. Windows frame views of Mt. Meru and Mt. Kilimanjaro in the distance, as well as grazing goats and banana trees just outside the fence.

A little less glamorous but essential to the project is the septic tank, which, thanks to the hard work of volunteers and labourers alike is now completed. At, in Tanzania’s hard red clay, it was tough going with the shovels and hoes. Along with digging, volunteers and workers swapped Kiswahili and English words, taking over for one another when they needed a rest. The workers were particularly worried about the volunteers, always telling us “pole pole” (slowly slowly) and teaching us more efficient digging techniques.

Work is also being done at the MWEDO office. With our brand-new wi-fi internet connection, the ad hoc fundraising Tanzanian team has set up camp in the tent on the beautiful MWEDO grounds. We’re applying for grants through the Australian and American embassies, as well as preparing the website for our online auction, scheduled to finish live at our “One Night, One World ” event at the Montreal Science Centre on June 16^th.