10-15 January 2005 - CDM camp

Given that Baraka is an unacceptable place to live, mum and dad are refurbishing a small diamond-prospector's colony not too far from Tsumkwe, and making it into a civilised place for civilised people.

Chief among the workforce is Dahm, my mum's local counterpart, and one of the most dynamic men in town. He speaks English, and has a sense of organisation.

Dahm recruited us a little team of motivated San who would like to learn building as part of one of my father's first "vocational education" projects.

CDM (or Central Diamond Mine Ltd) camp is a collection of prefab huts that were brought along the 300km of nothing when they thought there might be diamonds here - though there weren't.

Most importantly, it has its own independent water pump, powered as all things are, by solar power.

First we gutted the inside.

Then we added a shower and loo to the future bathroom.

Then we learned how to lay bricks for the bathroom wall.

Best of all, if you walk along, keeping the water tower on your right, you come across another pair of huts - expansion potential.

Between the pair of huts, there is a covered patio area and then a (sandy) garden.

First things first - install a solar panel. This one gives 225W of power, enough for a television if you needed it.