It’s almost indescribable the transformation that took place at the house where Jamie grew up into what is now the Sarobidy Maternity Center.  I think Rota, our Malagasy midwife said it best after living in the house for a few months before and during the construction and renovations… her words to be exact, “I felt like I was living in a house within a horror movie”.  Note that Rota comes from a lower middle class Malagasy home where she grew up in a family of 7 in a small two-room house (note, not 2 bedroom… but 2 room).  So, you can only imagine her standards are not Western American standards.

We started renovations in late December 2012, opened the center in May 2013 and completed the last of the renovations and painting in August 2013– it was a challenging and rewarding 9 months.  And it couldn’t have been done without the help of so many… it truly takes a village to open a maternity center!   There’s still much to be done upon our arrival back to the red island, such as laying tile throughout the house and ripping out the showers and installing a birth tub, etc, but so far the transformation is pretty incredible.  But don’t take our word for it, have a look….

FRONT OF HOUSE– 

before…

…after

SIDE OF HOUSE– 

before…

…after

BACK CORNER OF HOUSE–

before…

…after

…after (other corner)

BACK OF HOUSE–

before…

…after

THE OUTER WALLS–

before…

…after

THE OUTSIDE ELECTRICAL BOX–

before…

…after

PRENATAL ROOM (formerly Jamie’s room as a kid)

before…

…after

…after

…after

…after

BIRTH ROOM– (formerly Jamie’s parent’s room)

before…

…during

…after

HALLWAY–

before…

…after

HALLWAY– (other direction)

before…

during…

…after

LIVING ROOM–

before…

…after

OFFICE– (now the office for the Sarobidy Maternity Center as well as Eden Reforestation Projects)

KITCHEN–

before…

during…

…after

BATHROOM–

before…

…after

unfortunately we don’t have any after pictures but the change is remarkable!  there’s still much to do with ripping out the shower tile and replacing it as well as hiding all those ugly pipes!

EDUCATION ROOM– (outside)

before…

again, unfortunately we don’t have any before pictures but we do have the after…

…after

EDUCATION ROOM– (inside)

before…

again no pictures but… we doubled the size of the windows, added windows on the opposite side, painted, rewired the electricity, added raffia walls from the top of the container walls on each side (left and right) to the bottom of the ceiling, had benches made and painted the benches (gavin discovered the wet oil-based paint and wasn’t too happy!)

during….

during…

…after

GARAGE– 

before…

unfortunately we don’t have any before but…

during….

…after

ADEL’S HOUSE– (Adel is the sweet woman who lives on the maternity center property and cares for the inside of the maternity house)

before…

(note Adel’s kitchen made out of tin on the right)

during…

…after (note Adel’s new kitchen on the right)

during (inside)…

after (inside)…

ADEL’S KITCHEN–

before…

…after!!!

We think it’s pretty great… and there’s no more horror movies here!