A need for more space in the project building
The KTEP project is known for making use of every corner of the building it lives in. To give an example, the project has managed to fit in an entire kindergarten plus music school in the building – alongside of the dental clinic, the office and a computer cluster. However, in recent times, the lack of space has become more and more of a problem, especially when it came to providing (outdoor) playing area to the kindergarten kids. They did have a little playground with swing and seesaw in the front yard. However, this occupied a lot of the building’s outdoor area, which especially was a problem during the weekly Sunday meetings, where up to 200 scholars have to find a place.
For these reasons KTEP was feeling the need for an additional room, some place where the kindergarten kids could play; not inside of the building but open-air, however at the same time under a roof, to be protected from the strong sunbeams.
All of these requirements were met with the brilliant idea of building a tree house in KTEP’s front yard.
Building the tree house
Once the decision was made, the carpenters Alex and Roel soon started building the little house using local materials such as bamboo, strawmats, anahaw leaves and planks of many different shapes. They also received help from a German visitor, the engineer Mr Thomas Hepp, who primarily helped them with the electrical works, e.g. the illumination of the tree house. Mr Hepp was actively supported by Tiyo Ining.
Two generous donors
The project tree house wouldn’t have been feasible without financial support from sponsors. The project therefore is very thankful to Mrs Lau from Lindau (Bavaria) for her generous support in financing the construction materials and salaries as well as the food for our carpenters. Also, the whole project gives thanks to the family of Mrs Carolina Preis from Cologne (Central Germany) who, with their donation, enabled the installation of a slide downwards the tree house – which now is especially loved by the project’s kindergarten kids!
An additional purpose
Already being a great help by providing playing area for the KTEP kindergarten kids and – after removal of swing and seesaw – more free space for the Sunday meetings, the project has found another purpose for the brand-new tree house: The KTEP music school has started to situate its rehearsals in the tree house –the first “outdoor guitar lessons” have already taken place!