The year-long MEDLIFE interns and the members of the community “33B” worked together last week on a new staircase that will benefit more than 300 people. Follow the story below:
Interns and community members descend the staircase frame to begin work. The path is steep, but they hold on to each other for support.
Everyone forms an assembly line to begin passing buckets of concrete that will fill in the staircase frame.
Mixing concrete is no easy task. Community members pour gallons of water on top of dry concrete, then mix it thoroughly with shovels.
Buckets of concrete are passed down one side of the staircase, poured into the staircase frame, passed back up the other side, refilled with concrete, then passed down again.
The task took hours, hands and clothes got dirty, but they never stopped smiling!
After a long day of work, the steps are filled and the concrete is ready to dry overnight.
Interns paint the staircase red to represent MEDLIFE.
All of the material for the staircase, including trees to plant along its side, were carried up the steep hill.
The interns plant trees along the side of the finished staircase.
The inauguration is kicked off and the interns say a few words to thank the community for their collaboration.
There is no greater feeling than working hand in hand with the communities MEDLIFE supports.
Another beautiful staircase replaces precarious rocks and slippery dirt that used to be dozens of peoples’ only path home. Thanks for all of your hard work, MEDLIFE Interns!