Roof trusses, foundations for composting service center and more...

Work has resumed at full speed in Kashitu in recent days. Construction continues at a pace that reminds us that great changes do not happen overnight. They grow gradually—from every laid piece of masonry, every poured concrete foundation, and every task we tackle together.

On the classroom construction site, we managed to finish cutting the roof trusses. At the same time, the removal of formwork from the toilets and the preparation of the formwork for the classroom's ring beam continued. Reinforcement cages were placed into the formwork, and we then proceeded to pour the concrete ring beam. The reinforced concrete ring beam is a crucial element of the entire structure—it connects the perimeter masonry, stabilizes the building, and creates a solid base for the subsequent installation of the roof structure. With its completion, the classroom gains another important element of structural stability, and we can move forward toward the roof. This is another major step on the way to the new classroom taking its final shape.

A major progress is also visible with the composting toilets. Their walls continue to grow, and we are slowly approaching the tenth course of bricks, where an important part of the ventilation system will begin to take shape. At the same time, we have started laying bricks for the composting plant. This will be one of the key elements of the entire system in the future, linking hygiene, sustainability, and agriculture.

Construction of the storage warehouse for the composting plant also continued. We built the foundation strips, poured the concrete into the permanent formwork, and compacted the soil under the warehouse's foundation slab. Next came the pouring of the foundation slab itself. Here, too, the infrastructure is gradually emerging to help turn waste into a useful resource for local farmers in the future.

And because our project under the UNDP Challenge Fund is complex and stands on real results, agriculture is another area where we are already beginning to see the first outcomes. Planting of four different types of crops—corn, tomatoes, okra, and impwa—has begun in the local field. But it is not just about cultivation. We are testing different types of fertilizers on individual parts of the field, and we want to use this entire experiment to practically demonstrate to local farmers the power of high-quality organic fertilizer. We don't just want to tell people that compost can help. We want them to see the difference with their own eyes—to watch how the individual crops thrive, compare the results, and form their own ideas about what a change in fertilization methods could mean for their own farming.

We are also very pleased that the construction itself is becoming increasingly connected with the community and education. Igor and Anežka, with the involvement of Miri, organized a training session focused on hygiene, composting toilets, and fertilization principles. People came from near and far. Together, they created a space where they could not only learn more about how composting toilets work, but also discuss hygiene, composting, and potential uses of the resulting fertilizer.

These moments are perhaps just as important to us as the concrete pouring and bricklaying themselves. Because the Kashitu School project has never been just about building something. The goal is to create something that will function in the long term and that the entire community will gradually adopt. Every new course of bricks, every meter of concrete, every planted crop, and every person who comes to the training is part of a larger story. A story showing that education, hygiene, agriculture, self-sufficiency, and community development do not have to stand apart. Quite the opposite. When connected, they can work together to create a change that has a real impact.

And right now, Kashitu is showing that this change can grow literally before our eyes. Step by step. Brick by brick. Plant by plant. Person by person.