NEW SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION REPORT

June 1, 2008

ONE BY ONE EACH BRICK IS SLATHERED WITH OOZING CEMENT;
20,000 BRICKS HANDMADE AT PLOUT SAMPANH VILLAGE.

ON APRIL 25, 2008, WITHIN ONE YEAR’S TIME, CONSTRUCTION BEGAN ON INDIGO THREADS SECOND DESPERATELY NEEDED SCHOOL AT BAN LIENG VILLAGE, PATHOUMPHONE DISTRICT, SOUTHERN LAOS.  THE 3 CLASSROOM SCHOOL WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL BUILDING TO THE SECONDARY SCHOOL CAMPUS REPLACING CLASSROOMS THAT CAN BE CONSIDERED NO MORE THEN SHACKS—NOT ENCLOSED WITH  DECAYING TIN ROOFS AND DUSTY DIRT FLOORS.  AS HUMOROUS AS IT MAY SOUND, FREE RANGE CATTLE SEEK REFUGE IN THE SAME CLASSROOMS DURING RAIN STORMS.  ALL LIVESTOCK ARE FREE RANGE IN LAOS.

DESPITE AN EARLY MONSOON SEASON, THE NEW BUILDING IS 40% COMPLETED IN A RECORD 5 WEEKS TIME.  THE ERECT BRICK STRUCTURE IS READY FOR THE REINFORCED COMPOSITION ROOF TO BE ADDED DURING THE NEXT WEEK.  COMPLETION OF THE SCHOOL IS PROJECTED TO BE IN AUGUST 2008, READY TO BE OCCUPIED BY 140 STUDENTS FOR THE START OF SCHOOL IN SEPTEMBER.  INDIGO THREADS IS REQUIRED TO FURNISH THE SCHOOL WITH NEW DESKS AND BLACKBOARD, AS WELL.

ALTHOUGH CAREFULY PLANNED WITH SUPERVISORED COST CONTROLS, CONSTRUCTION  COSTS ARE OVER BUDGET.  BUILDING MATERIAL PRICES HAVE ESCALATED OVER THE LAST YEAR,  IN SOME CASES, DOUBLE FROM LAST YEAR’S SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION.  ACROSS THE BOARD, ALL MATERIAL AND SUPPLY PRICES HAVE RISEN.   MATERIALS ARE PURCHASED DIRECTLY BY INDIGO THREADS ALLOWING US TO KEEP CLOSE CONTROL OF EXPENSES.  IN ADDITION, DUE TO THE CONTINUED WEAK US DOLLAR, WE LOSE $13.30 TO EACH $100.00 IN  EXCHANGED CURRENCY.

INDIGO THREADS PRESIDENT, MARY D. MEYER, IS ASKING YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO HELP COMPLETE THIS SCHOOL AND HELP FURNISH IT WITH DESKS AND BLACKBOARDS..   YOUR DONATION WILL PROVIDE AN APPROPRIATE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS AND ENCOURAGE SECONDARY SCHOOL EDUCATION.

 

 

 

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