EVERGREEN BUILDING PROJECT NEARLY COMPLETE!

We are tremendously excited to provide you with an update on the Evergreen Building Project!

The school we helped build was the first public building in Juving, and in 2016, an idea was proposed for a second building to benefit the community. The Juving village committee asked about the possibility of building a community hall.

Ideally, this community hall would have a much larger room than the school classrooms and could be used for community meetings, visiting medical clinics, adult education classes, and a library. It would also allow weddings and other celebrations to include more of the community.

In response to the Juving village committee's request, we asked for a detailed proposal that included justification, plans and costs to construct the building, a management plan for its use, and a plan for ongoing operating costs and maintenance.

The proposal developed over time, and by 2019, a strong proposal emerged. A plan was submitted that year (see photos) with a detailed spending estimate of around $40,000 for materials and expert workers. The Juving villagers would volunteer labour and transportation.

We voted to fund this development, although we weren't sure how long it would take to fully fund and complete the project.

In 2020, we contributed $5,000 to start the project. A Juving farmer donated land, and our contribution paid for the earthwork to create a level area on the terraced hillside (please see the following photos and video).

In 2022, we voted to proceed with construction, knowing it might take over two years due to funding limitations.

A capital fundraiser was planned for October 2022, with the hopes of raising enough money for a year's construction. The Fall Frolic was an astounding success and raised over $19,000. Combined with the reserve balance in our account, this was enough to pay for construction in a single year!

Due to Covid-19, income from tourism disappeared, and our construction project was a bright light for the community. Construction has been fast and appears to be within the budget. The building was mostly complete before the onset of the rain in June, and we're looking forward to final pictures with furnishings.

The Juving village committee is planning a formal grand opening and wonders if some of us can attend in person. Wouldn't that be wonderful?!

We will continue to keep you updated as this exciting project reaches completion. We really look forward to sharing photos of this wonderful building in use and making a significant difference for the people of Juving.