A hundred and four years is a long time for an adobe-brick structure to last . . . but that’s how long the original part of Vida Chamché school has been around! Built as a home for a family, then turned into “Colegio Beerseba” – the forerunner to the Vida Schools – this building has served as classrooms for almost a quarter of a century. In fact, Principal Aydee Beb fondly recalls her first grade classroom in the corner.
>> See a timeline of Vida Chamché through the years
Unfortunately, the original part of Vida Chamché has reached the end of its life cycle. The adobe walls are brittle and dried out – not safe in a country that is prone to earthquakes. The roof and the rafters in the original building are compromised by rust, rot and termites. The roof leaks and the wooden rafters will soon not be safe.
For the safety of our students, we’ve moved ahead immediately with the construction of some temporary classrooms and the demolition of the original building. Thank you for giving to the “Build a Brighter Future” campaign before Christmas – some of these funds made it possible for us to respond quickly to these safety issues!
We’d like to invite you to join us in a two-phase plan for the Chamché rebuild, in which the house and modifications that were on the Chamché site prior to 1996 will be torn down and replaced (the other additions made by Impact Ministries over the years will remain).
We are replacing the adobe-brick structure with a two-storey building that will allow us to better utilize the limited space on the Chamché property and will put the children into safe, well-ventilated, and well-lit classrooms. It will also allow us to add more students to both the morning and the afternoon primary school programs at this facility.
The first phase will include construction of three lower-level classrooms. We’ve earmarked some Build a Brighter Future monies towards the Chamché rebuild campaign – but we’re hoping to raise $31,000 to complete this first phase.
Will you consider a gift towards the rebuild of this original Vida school?
