Carpenter Safety Enhanced With New Equipment

Dave Chatelaine, board member:

Mwendo Congo’s 2023 goal to support the work of Let Africa Live (LAV) was to raise funds to help implement the start of the carpentry program in the new Production Center.  Your support provided LAV with a grant to purchase a truck for transporting materials and finished product as well as program needs including materials, supplies, training, and operating costs.  Once the carpentry training program was initiated, we received photos and had a joint Zoom meeting with LAV staff where they shared live views of the students operating the woodworking machines.

My background in teaching Industrial Technology (shop) classes for 37 years, working as a Safety Coordinator in a glass company, and doing my own carpentry and woodworking projects over the years, caused me to have concerns about the safety of the students and instructors when I saw the pictures and live operation of the equipment.  

I shared my concerns about safety with our board and explained how I wanted to be sure students and instructors would be protected from safety and health hazards that are associated with woodworking.  I shared a list of woodworking safety practices with LAV that we followed in the woodworking classes that I taught, explaining that we (Mwendo Congo) wanted to make sure that all students and instructors could learn in a safe environment.  

We also listened closely to the perspectives of the LAV carpenters and leaders.  We learned that there are no government-led work safety regulations, trainings, or enforcement like we have in the U.S.  They of course shared the concern about worker safety and wanted to implement best practices.

LAV applied for a $5800 grant to purchase items that I recommended would help them provide a safe learning and work environment in the woodworking shop.  These items include safety goggles, dust masks, helmets, coveralls, safety boots, earbuds, a vacuum, fire extinguisher, and materials for storage shelves.  Once again, through generous donations to Mwendo Congo, we were able to provide funds for this grant.  The funds were sent in January 2024 and soon the gear was purchased.  We thank our donors, and we thank LAV for sending us pictures of the safety equipment in use!