Where We Are

Right! To get straight into it, this is where Green Access is at the moment; we have plowed through the challenges of insufficient resources and extreme scepticism and, frankly, made considerable progress. I will not view it any other way! If you check the picture section of my blog you will see some images of our Abuja training workshop where, with the help of visiting expert, Guruprasad Rane, we built all the relevant parts of a house, without actually building an actual house.

You see, the land was not ours, we did not have the permission and we had insufficient funds ANYWAY, so building a complete house was just out of the question. What we DID, was to break the house up into bits and build parts each; roof, wall, structural truss, etc. The outcome? Verification that it can be done! Those "tricky" joints and connectors can be accomplished afterall; that mat lath can be assembled; that bamboo shingle roof IS watertight and the overall result is as good as or better than conventional construction techniques and materials in W. Africa. Having proved this to myself and my very small team, I could now set about proving it to everyone else.

As of TODAY, I am refining the plans for deployment, starting right at the beginning- who needs this, might want it and how can it work within their income range. Fortunately, I have had some help from my visiting torture-master from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Alex, who has busied himself flapping the stars away from my eyes and turning them to practical, plausible, SUSTAINABLE approaches and considerations. Another little while and we ought to have a major coup to announce, eh?

Meanwhile, if you have any thoughts, insights or views on bamboo and earth housing, I certainly look forward to hearing from you.