Maliba Lodge Construction Site Experiences of Volunteers in TED

The basic idea of the team building exercise for the TED (Technology for Economic Development) staff at Maliba Lodge on the 1st November 2011 was to get everybody who works for TED into direct contact with the work of TED on the ground and to make them understand the difficulties on site. In addition, it was aimed at creating a good atmosphere among all of the employees and the management.

TED-Team at Maliba Lodge, Lesotho, 1st November 2011

One working area of TED is the construction of Biogas/DEWATS (Decentralized Wastewater Treatment System) which are composed of the digester, the Anaerobic Baffled Reactor (ABR) and the Planted Gravel Filter (PGF).
This system allows a maximized usage of black and grey water. In the first process step the wastewater flows into the biogas digester where it settles and is decomposed by bacteria producing methane gas which can then be used for cooking. In the second process step the water runs through several chambers of the ABR where bacteria further clean the wastewater to a quality that can be used for irrigation.

Such a system is now under construction at the Maliba Lodge. Maliba Lodge is a very luxurious lodge situated in the Tšehlanyane National Park in Lesotho. Maliba Lodge is designed for a large number of tourists who want to stay at the park under comfortable conditions. The same holds for the wastewater treatment system which is now under construction. It is a comparatively large system with a 30 m³ biogas digester and it will provide an adequate solution for the wastewater treatment of the lodge.

The main problem encountered by the construction workers from TED at Maliba Lodge is the rocky soil of the construction site, which complicates the work for the construction team. Therefore the aim was to join them and continue the work with all the women and men power that TED can provide. So the whole staff was involved in digging and preparing the ground for the construction of the digester and the Filter. After some of the largest stones had been excavated the whole team took a break over a barbeque and drinks.

After the tasteful barbecue the team split up again into the groups they are normally working in. Before driving back to Maseru the teams had to take a wastewater sample from the kitchen of the lodge, because a decision had to be taken whether the kitchen should also be connected to the system or whether it requires its own system. As the analyzing of the sample was only possible in the laboratory the TED team had to drive back and leave the construction team to their tasks.
Back in the laboratory the COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) was measured. Based on the result of 600 mg/l the evaluation and calculation could be started.

All in all the day was highly enjoyable due to the variety of experiences and provided a deeper insight into the organisational structures of TED; something especially relevant for the new volunteers who had just joined TED. It also brought up new motivation and enthusiasm for the office work because the team was able to see how the theoretical plans and discussions resulted in excellent practical results. And, most importantly, the day fostered the good working relationships between the TED workers. So the teambuilding was a total success in every way.