One Step Closer
Sunday, February 18, 2018
There's something so incredible about seeing your dreams come to life. We remember when the concept for a new green campus was just an idea on our vision board. And now, with the help of so many generous individuals, it's real, it's happening, and it's the best feeling ever.
Just look at the sign outside of our gate! It says it all: "The buildings on this campus are made from the earth. The thick walls, reinforced with concrete and steel, make the buildings more comfortable in both winter and summer and earthquake-resistant. The campus will be powered by the sun, in the form of a 255-kw solar array. Sunlight will also be concentrated by large mirrors and used for most of our cooking. Many of the roofs collect rainwater and store it in a 150,000-liter tank. Water from drinking, washing dishes and hands, and even toilet waste, will all be recycled and reused in our food-producing and educational gardens."
Our team of Nepali builders is making progress at the new land construction site. The rammed earth building phase is complete. The roofs are on the building. The windows have been installed. Soon, the solar panels will be installed. We are well into the second phase of construction, which will bring to life the administrative offices, cafetorium, more classrooms, and landscaping.
You might be asking yourself, "What is this rammed earth they keep talking about?" It is a simple mixture of earth, clay, and gravel (and in our case, some cement for added stability) which creates a sturdy building material. We're using it for the new buildings of our new campus. The materials are locally sourced, therefore eliminating many of the emissions which result from trucking materials long distances. Workers use a compacting tool which packs the material into frames, allowing it to dry. The final product is a beautiful clay color with many layers which will soon provide classrooms for the many Kopila children to continue their education.
Just a few weeks ago, we broke ground on our Early Childhood Village - the place where our youngest Kopilas will go to learn and grow. Watch this video from Directors Luke and Chris about this exciting update!
We are one step closer to providing our students with this safe, beautiful, and sustainable learning place. We can't wait for this school to be completed and filled with students playing, learning, laughing, and growing. We can't wait to share it with you. We are eternally grateful for your patience and support throughout this building process.