Midwife advice center – completion of the foundation – 24.01.2025

The foundations of the midwife station were completed on 24 January 2025.

If everything goes according to plan, we will have completed the outer walls, the roof and two rooms by the beginning of March 2025. We are being supported in the construction work by the villagers and the [ U.D.O. ] association.

If everything goes according to plan, we will have completed the outer walls, the roof and two rooms by the beginning of March 2025. We are being supported in the construction work by the villagers and the association. In this way, we can maximise the project despite our limited financial resources (€14,000). At the end of the construction phase, we will carry out an estimate of the costs saved. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the energetic Burkinabe helpers.

Below are details, pictures and videos of the foundation construction.

[ to the midwife advice center project page ]

24.12.2024 – 31.12.2024 Production of foundation and wall bricks

24.12.2024-01.01.2025: Delivery of eight lorry loads of sand, five tonnes of cement and several barrels of water. Approx. 800 unfilled wall blocks and 400 filled foundation blocks can be produced from one tonne of cement and sand.

28.12. – 30.12.2024: Production of approx. 2400 unfilled wall bricks (from 3 tonnes of cement).

2.1. and 3.1.2025: Production of approx. 800 full foundation bricks (from 2 tonnes of cement).

07.01.- 15.01.2025 Construction of the foundation formwork

7.1.-9.1.2025: Excavation of approx. ½ m deep foundation joints.

10.01.2025, 12 noon: The time has come! Adama Bance is allowed to pour the first spadeful of cement into the foundation pits. The foundation joints are all filled with a mixture of sand, cement, water and white granite stones.

11.01.2025: Laying three rows of foundation bricks over all foundation joints. Adama Bance and his brothers watered the foundation walls in the evening and the next morning to ensure that they hardened properly.

13 and 14 January 2025: Wooden formwork is installed over the foundation bricks. These are filled with a mixture of cement, sand and granite stone. More than 15 people were working on the construction site on these days.

15.01.2025: Dismantling the wooden formwork. The foundation formwork is finished!

12.01. and 15.01.2025 Meeting with our helpers and contact persons

On 12 January 2025, our midwife Awa Yabre came to visit the construction site. She always supports us with her expert advice.

15.01.2025: Discussion of further project steps with the president of the special delegation from Garango Nebkieta Timothée and our notary Adama Nadiouba at the town hall in Garango.

20.01-24.01 Filling of the foundation formwork and completion of the foundation

Adama had to leave for Germany on 18 January 2025. The next steps will now be carried out in collaboration with representatives of the [ U.D.O ] association, Adama’s brother Soulaymane Bance (Imam in Ourégou) and the technical site manager.

To complete the foundation, the formwork still needs to be filled with approx. 140-150 cubic metres of sand.

20-22.01.2025 Sand delivery with small lorries by the village population. This reduced the cost of the sand by approx. half.

23 & 24.01.2025: The sand is filled into the foundation formwork with the excavator and compacted with water and pressure.

The foundation is now complete!

Next Steps

The outer walls and roof will be erected from 27 January 2025. After that, the interior walls and the floor for 2 rooms will be completed. After completion, we will report on this again.

You can find more information about the project on our project page [ to the midwife advice center project page ].