New Beginnings Orphanage

Education is the most important thing offered on the site. Giving someone an education allows them to learn and apply what they have learned in order to provide for themselves in life. The school will be a kidnergarden through 6th grade. It will be constructed from concrete and Adobe, and supported by concrete and steel columns. Concrete is a dense material which will block heat gains from the sun, and will keep sound from penetrating into other rooms. The cantilevering floors that fold over one another create shading, along with open screens allowing cross ventilation, will keep classrooms and offices cool. Exterior hallways and stairways allow the utilization of all interior space for classrooms. Plumbing will allow bathrooms to be located on the ground floor. Each floor has 10' ceilings, however, 8' would be suitable as well.

Housing will consist of concrete construction and will accommodate 12 people per home. The design of the housing will referencethe design of the school and vocational buildings. It will have operable windows as well as vents to allow light and natural ventilation through the building. There will be a full sized bathroom in each unit which consists of a shower, lavatory, and sink. Desks, closets, and dressers will allow the orphans to do
schoolwork and store belongings.

A Dining hall will be located within the housing units to provide meals 2-3 times a day. There will be seating both inside and outside for eating. It will be constructed of concrete and steel columns like the school and vocational buildings.

Vocational buildings are meant to give those that graduate from the school an opportunity to learn a specific trade that they can use to make a living. The trades offered include forestry and wood mill work; coffee, tea, and wheat farming and harvesting; cattle farming; medicine at the health clinic; Food preparation at the dining hall; and auto mechanics and metalworking. Each will be built from concrete and concrete columns like the school. Each building will teach different trades according to that particular skill. Once one passes school and a vocational program they will then be able to have a reference when looking for work.

Pine Trees will provide the area with a fast growing tree that can start to re-forest Rwanda. Pine is also very usefull for building materialsbecause of it’s rapid growth rate and strength. On site
will be a vocational industry for a sawmill for cutting nominal sized construction lumber, using that lumber to make doors, window frames, etc..., furniture, and wood carving. These products can then be sold to finance the orphanage.

Eucalyptus Trees provide much more than just wood for building materials. The oil from the leavesoffer many uses such as anticeptics, soap, lotion, decongestant, and a bug repellant, or pesticide. The Eucalyptus is fast growing with a harvest every 10 years, and needs very little attention to grow. The wood can be used for building materials, however, the awkward interlocking grains make it difficult.

Rwanda is a country of rolling hills and a hot climate which is perfect for growing such crops as tea, coffee, vegetables, and wheat. Tea and coffee are common crops of Rwanda and can
be sold to support this orphanage. Using a water pump from the Kickstart group will ensure efficient watering and allow greater production of crops. The wheat crop would be used to make flour, which in turn would be used to make breads and even be used to produce thatched roofs. There will be a vocational building that will store farming equipment, and other toolsnecessary to grow and harvest these foods. This will allow people to learn how to farm and provide for themselves.