Togo: Gboto

Day 9

Our drive today took us along roads that were difficult to manoeuvre, very bumpy, and at times full of rocks with deep craters.

The Gboto area and villages seemed extremely isolated and poor. Again the bedkits recipients came from many kilometres away. The distribution was smooth.

From Togo 2011

On the way home Dosseh, one of our local volunteers, pointed out some villagers building a traditional clay house and he explained the process:

• Day 1: They dig into the the red clay, loosen up the earth, add water, then cover the mixture with palm leaves for five days.
• Day 5: The wet mixture is carried in small “blobs” to the house location where they are molded into larger “blobs.”
• They are cut with a machete-like knife into large “bricks” (about 50x20x20 cm). These “bricks” are laid to form the first wall layer. The layer is covered with palm leaves.
• Three days later the process starts over with a new Day 1 mixture.
• Therefore each layer dries for 8 days before the next wall layer is made. This clay house will last for 25 years or more.
• The roofing is usually made of palm leaves, which must be replaced every couple of years.

We invited our AED-Togo volunteer partners to dinner and it was enjoyed by all.
Team Togo 2011

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