Tanzanian Construction

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What is it about men and construction?

It seems that only men can spend hours watching buildings being built, overseeing the construction site, even when they aren’t asked to do so. At home, holes are cut out in the boards around a building site so that men can stand there for hours, watching the progress being made as the building starts deep in the ground and slowly makes its way to the sky.

I don’t know many women who would walk out of their way so that they can stop by a construction site to see what’s going on. Maybe they avoid the whole area for obvious reasons. Who needs catcalls and whistles from the workmen? Do construction workers even do catcalls and whistles, outside of New York City, anymore?

Dar es Salaam is a city that is booming with construction. Everywhere you turn, there is a new building going up. Day laborers line up at various construction sites, waiting to be taken on. Construction starts at sunrise (630 AM) and continues to until sundown (630PM). They take full advantage of the daylight hours. It isn’t uncommon to wake up to the sound of hammers being swung and to hear the construction workers speaking Swahili to one another. They are an animated group. When they start talking with one another, you think they are yelling, but it’s just enthusiasm.

In North America, they wear hardhats, steel toed work boots and the like. Here, there is none of that. There are no harnesses or safety goggles. They wear shorts, tank tops and on occasion, I have even seen workers in flip flops and sandals. It is amazing we never hear of anyone getting hurt.

Another thing that I marvel at is the scaffolding they use on the construction site. When they are putting on a new floor, they use logs as support between the floors. Being used to metal braces, etc., at home, I am impressed that here, they use what is available to them. Scaffolding is erected using various materials and it seems to work. I have yet to see a building fall down.

I am sure any of you, who have worked in construction, will be cringing at the pictures I have attached.

I was talking about this with the VSO Country Director, he told me that when he was working in Asia, it was a common sight to see bamboo scaffolding.

Another interesting thing here is that they make their own bricks. I have watched them make bricks by hand. It isn’t uncommon to be travelling and see a yard or field filled with bricks that have been made and are drying in the sun. I don’t have any pictures of brick making at this point. Some locals don’t like their pictures being taken. It is something I would have to ask permission to shoot. Maybe I will get the nerve to ask them soon. If I do, I will be happy to share them with you.

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Comments

[Cath Lawlor]

Earthquake Specifications
Looking at your photos, and reading your accompanying text, I wondered whether anyone told you that we had an earthquake here last week?