School Recovery in Abaco
While closely monitoring the global situation, GER3’s operations on Abaco continue to move forward. No confirmed coronavirus cases have been reported on Abaco to date. GER3’s team continues to operate while adjusting to new safety protocols, work and travel restrictions. Most local businesses are temporarily closed under the most recent Bahamian Government orders, however, hurricane reconstruction projects are permitted to continue working (except during periodic full “lockdown” periods). This means that for the time being, GER3 will be able to continue rehabilitating Abaco’s most populous elementary school in order to reopen by the new school year (fall 2020).
As work continues at Central Abaco Primary School (CAPS), GER3 is ensuring additional safety precautions at the worksite. This includes things such as requiring all workers to arrive separately, operate at a safe distance from one another (minimum 6 ft), wear appropriate PPE (masks and gloves), and sanitize hands regularly at designated hand-washings stations. The site foremen and team leaders have been informed of these standards and are ensuring they are adhered to by everyone working onsite. GER3 has also clarified COVID-19 response protocols with the Ministry of Health and the local health clinic and has coordinated with local health NGOs – such as Americares – to consider how assistance can be provided if needed.
Central Abaco Primary School (CAPS)
As GER3 transitions into the longer-term CAPS rehabilitation program, we are excited to welcome two new team members this month. Andrew Meyer has joined GER3 as the Bahamas Program Manager. With extensive experience working with NGOs globally, Andrew brings great experience and leadership to the team. Levi Haley has also recently joined the team as Operations Coordinator. He is an skilled construction manager and will oversee all technical aspects of the rebuilding operations. An additional reconstruction project manager, Damian Browne, is providing remote support and technical guidance to the work at CAPS. He was scheduled to arrive in Abaco on April 3rd, but his travel has been postponed due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
With funding from the Lyford Cay Foundations, UNICEF, the Discovery Land Company Foundation and One Bahamas Fund, work at CAPS continues with approval from the Bahamian government and Ministry of Health. Although the staff working on site have been reduced in order to respect social distancing protocols, the cash-for-work team remains strong and continues to work harder than ever.
Ninety percent of Phase 1 buildings have been completely dried in with new plywood and ice and water shield to cover all portions. Sanitizing has taken place in the priority wing and will continue in the remaining wings over the next several weeks. Electrical work has begun, and supplies are en route from Nassau and the United States for the upcoming works. GER3’s partner for the sanitization of CAPS, All Hands and Hearts (AHAH), regretfully departed the island due to organization-wide protocols restricting work for their volunteers during COVID-19. However, AHAH continues to support the project with materials donations. GER3 is rapidly identifying alternative options to keep the sanitization work going.
Welcoming guidance from the Bahamian Ministry of Public Works and Ministry of Education, a recommendation was made to include new wheelchair ramps. GER3 has now installed these in the southwestern wing and in one of the main corridors, providing access to the main portions of the school. Under the expertise and supervision of Levi Haley, and adhering to GER3’s mission of building-back-better, beams and trusses have been constructed and erected in the northeast wing of Cat Island.
GER3 continues to work closely with local engineering firms in order to design a more resilient roof for the portions of the school where roofing was completely destroyed. The new roofing will employ new standards of resiliency and will be able to withstand winds up to 200 mph. Last week, GER3 launched a large open international tender for construction materials for roofs and additional materials for the school. The tender closed on Friday, April 3rd and the team is now reviewing the received applications.
Upon beginning work at CAPS, the initial goal was to reopen a portion of the school by April 14th. However, due to COVID-19, all schools are temporarily closed in the Bahamas and are not anticipated to reopen during the spring of 2020. Despite this shift, GER3 continues to work diligently to ensure that classrooms will be available for faculty and students as soon as the COVID-19 protocols are lifted.
Circular Sanitation
In an effort to provide greater sustainability to CAPS and in conjunction with UNICEF WASH, GER3 plans introduce a circular sanitation component to CAPS. This project was inspired by a similar project at the Island School on Eleuthera Island, which has generated a great deal of interest from the Ministry of Education. Effluent water from the school will be recycled as fertilizer providing sufficient nutrients for a wetland, or central garden, to be cultivated. The system will include everything from a settler to a bio-clear trickling filter and constructed wetland that will produce a fully functional and biodiverse garden. The system will also act as a hands-on educational component for students who can learn about sustainability, biodiversity, engineering, and sanitation right in their school’s backyard. This will be the first such system installed at a public school in The Bahamas.
Teachers’ Homes
With support from UNICEF, GER3 is supporting the repair of teachers’ homes in the Marsh Harbour area. The rehabilitation of these houses will allow teachers to return home in time for the reopening of CAPS and the start of the new school year.
Seven (7) homes have been identified for immediate rehabilitation activities. GER3 continues to work closely with the Ministry of Public works to outline works on four government-owned teachers’ cottages. Bidding has been completed with multiple local contractors having been invited to provide estimates. Thus far, muck and gutting and debris removal has been completed at four of the seven houses with roofing works to begin shortly.
