A typical school groundbreaking trip runs from Sunday to Saturday.

Highlights include a welcome ceremony with a covenant signing and daily site work where you will dig the foundation, bend rebar, mix cement and work on rock and brick lines. Translators are with the group the entire time, and you are encouraged to spend time speaking with local villagers–you will be working with them side-by side.

Afternoons are for a cultural activity – we might meet with the women’s leadership committee, the village chief or imam or we might learn how villagers harvest a local crop such as rice or millet.

We have homestays with local families. Meals are with the Team Dayā group. We will have a dedicated “HQ” area where meals will be served.

When we depart the village, we typically will go and see a local school that has been completed. This will give you an idea of what the finished school will look like a few months later.

Here is a typical schedule:

Sunday

• Arrive in the country
• Orientation
• Overnight stay in a hotel

Monday

• Travel to the community
• Welcome ceremony
• School groundbreaking

Tuesday-Thursday

• Mornings work at the school site
• Afternoons participate in cultural activities

Friday

• Farewell ceremony
• Depart village
• Final dinner & hotel stay

Saturday

• School groundbreaking week concludes
• Airport departure