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Qumma - From Desert to Rose (June 3rd - The CocoWalk)

Started by nedalezz, August 12, 2007, 10:52:44 AM

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nedalezz

UPDATE ONE
INTRODUCTION TO FURSAN AND QUMMA

   Fursan is a small fishing village situated on the western coast of Africa, snuggled on all sides except the west by the troubled country of Western Sahara.  Originally settled by Phoenician explorers more than 2,500 years ago thanks to its abundant offshore fish, it has remained almost unchanged since its founding.  About 400-500 years ago (exact date is unknown), the village of Fursan and a large area surrounding it was acquired and bought by a rich family called Dawa, whose origins are believed to be of an Arab-European descent.

   There is very little history of note; while the world went through colonization, two wars, and decolonization, Fursan was left alone, isolated and forgotten. The Dawa family, which currently reside in Monte Carlo, remain remarkably rich, but haven't spent a penny towards developing Fursan and its surrounding area in the past.

   Recently, an oil analysis and exploration team doing work in the Moroccan controlled area of Western Sahara concluded that a vast amount of petrol and gas were to be found in the areas around Fursan, which lit up the attention of the Berber Dawa, one of the elder sons.  He had always dreamed of developing the area, and this was to be his opportunity.

   Fursan's current economy relies almost exclusively on fishing. There is some very minor export of fish to Western Sahara, and the profit of that is used to acquire food and other necessary ingredients for life to bring back to the village. Tourism is almost unheard of, with an estimated 120 people that can be classified as "tourists" passing through the village last year, of which all where using the road the flows through coastal Western Sahara to get from the north to the south, or vice-versa.  The land is arid and dry (desert), so there is no agriculture to speak of. It has been concluded that farming is indeed possible in the area with the right amount of investment, but the Dawas have been reluctant to throw money into the area.  Herding is used as means to feed the village, with no export of Fursani meat to speak of.

   The land has no currency of its own, and consumer spending doesn't exist.  Electricity is run by a large generator the Dawas installed a few years ago, and running water is pumped by small facility outside of the village. Telephone lines don't exist, and neither does TV.

   With the discovery of abundant natural resources in the area, however, Berber Dawa is looking to change all that.  With plans of full-scale development, he is ready to bring the village of Fursan, and the land of Qumma (the surrounding area around Fursan belonging to the Dawa family) into the 21st century.

Below are some pictures of Fursan. Notice the large generator that powers the village, and the water pump that keeps the liquid flowing in the homes of its residents.






vester

Great start.

Adding a church, would put the dot over the i. ;)

bat

Wonderful start, nedalezz! :thumbsup:

Looking forward to more...

nedalezz

UPDATE TWO
INVESTMENT IN FURSAN

     
          Upon arriving in Fursan, the first thing Berber Dawa has had done is take a population census of the village, with the report announcing it at 510. Females were counted at 264 while the males account for 246 of the total population, with 353 of the 510 under the age of 18.

          Dawa's first act has been to establish a "Governmental Office", otherwise called the Qumma Executive Council, inside of Fursan, and has given the QEC permission to act out any new decrees on his behalf once full permission has been presented to them by Dawa himself.  He has employed 5 people to work in the QEC (3 of them coming from out of Qumma) and handle the office's daily affairs.  Once fully established, which it is in the process of being, Dawa has stated he wants to treat the Qumma economy as that of a nation, taking into account GDP, PPI, etc.

          The QEC's current assignment is to recommend 3 locations for a new Police Department that will serve Fursan and its outlaying areas. Once a location has been chosen and constructed, a car shall be imported, and 4 police officers are to be chosen as the very first members of Fursan PD #1.  Although the village is extremely peaceful, Dawa spoke of further securing the minds of the residents of Fursan by assuring them someone will watch over them if something was to happen.

           Dawa has also issued the QEC with his top priorities; once the Fursan PD #1 project has been undertaken, they are to propose a location for a new elementary school. With no educational institutes to speak of, education levels in Qumma are 0. Dawa will make it mandatory for all children to attend school up to 8th grade, believing that atleast 50 children will benefit immediately from the construction of the elementary school.

          Also on the list of the QEC's top priorities is a healthcare facility, employing at least 2 doctors. Both the healthcare facility and the elementary school will be owned by the QEC, and both will be free for the public to use, save for some small yearly fees.

          Realizing that there is no way that Fursan (or Qumma) could self-support the construction and running expenses of these projects, Dawa has eased concerns by stating his own personal fortune will be used. 

          The Fursan PD #1 blueprints have already been drawn up, and approximate estimates for the finished product, including construction and facility utilities which include 2 computers), will be $95,000. Monthly expenses, including officer wages, will run at around $7,500, with each officer taking in $500 a month.

          The elementary school, which is as of yet unnamed and unplanned, will have 10 classrooms (Pre Kindergarten – 8th Grade), all of which will be furnished with 20 desks, whiteboard, and a teacher's desk. In addition, there will be 4 administrative offices, outside playground, a small parking lot, basketball court, and a small library, all of which will have good maintenance and attention. While there have not been any blueprints drawn up, estimates have ranged between $250,000 and $400,000 for the finished product.

           Finally, the healthcare clinic will be substantially smaller than the elementary school, but the equipment substantially more sophisticated and expensive. Dawa's requirements include a surgery room, 5 patient rooms, each with a capacity of 4 people, and 5 private patient rooms. There will also be a reception room, and a small area of medicine, as well as at least 4 small checkup rooms. Like the elementary school, there have been no blueprints, but estimates range between $150,000 and $300,000, depending on the quality and quantity of the equipment to be brought in.

          All in all, Dawa is looking to put in approximately $800,000 to $1,000,000 of his own personal funding to support the 3 projects which he has prioritized for the QEC, a small amount compared to the billions he is estimated to be worth.  The QEC has stated that these projects can support a town of up to 5,000 residents, which puts into light Dawa's plan for growth.  It is no secret of Berber Dawa's plans for the area, which he has publicly spoken about, saying, "If Dubai can go from a small fishing village to a transport, financial, and tourist hub in 30 years on a 1/10 of the natural resources we have, then I don't see why Qumma can't experience the same."


NOTE: Do forgive the lack of pictures, next update will have some. I've already taken them ;)

gorillazmatt

Your city gives me memories of my holidays in the South of France!  ;D
Good work  :thumbsup:

Jmouse

I had the pleasure of spending a month on Africa's Gold Coast last summer, so I shall enjoy watching your region develop. Looks like you've made a good start.

Until next time...
Joan

Schulmanator

I like this one. The water mod looks so real. The town is very charming.  :thumbsup:
See the all-new National Capital Region!:http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15118.0

rooker1

Interesting start.  I agree with vester about the church, it would fit in perfect.

Robin   :thumbsup:
Call me Robin, please.

mickebear

As you are seemingly using my material, check out my churches on LEX; hopefully you will something from there. Nice job, by the way   :thumbsup:

nedalezz

REPLIES

vester: Thanks, and you'll always have a special place as the firster replier on the MD!

bat: Thank you, looking forward to presenting more :)

gorillazmatt: Well even though Qumma is based on the coast of West Africa, its influences are very much mediterrenean (Dawa lives in Monte Carlo, and the original settlers were Phoenician traders). Alot of the construction will remind you of areas such as South France, Spain, Italy, etc. :)

Jmouse: That's amazing! I have several businesses all over West Africa, including Ghana (originally Gold Coast)! I am actually in Accra right now. How was your experience here?

Schulmanator: I have CycleDogg and BSC to thank for the terrain and the water mod, and mickebear to thank for the town! I love all of them, really, the watermod is excellent, the terrain is just what I wanted, and the buildings are so real and they fit so well. So thanks to all the involved parties!

rooker1: The Qummans and Fursanis are a religious bunch (both Muslim and Christian), so sooner or later, a church would have to be built.

mickebear: You don't understand how much I love your Med Set, and how crucial it will be for this MD! Much of the construction, atleast early on, will be from your Med Set...in fact, it is safe to assume you are the single most important entity of this MD, and its an honor to have you post here! Do you plan on releasing anymore Med Set buildings?



mickebear

#10
Hi Nedalezz,

Well, as you may or may not have heard, I didn't BAT for 9 months - I had some issues with RL that needed urgent attention and have taken a long time to solve. However, I AM going to continue BATting and there are already a few new BATs on the pipeline with BarbyW in BSC. Please check my BSC Work Area on SC4D thread for further information. Inside the thread there is also a link to an external site to showcase some of the work to be released. I am glad that you are using my work and like your way of presenting it.

brs

Mika

nedalezz

UPDATE THREE
TAKING CARE OF THE PEOPLE

Official expenditure for the 3 new projects has been made public by the QEC:

Fursan PD #1: $115,000 Investment Cost - $8,500 Operational Cost Monthly

Istral Dawa Elementary School: $415,000 Investment Cost - $22,000 Op. Cost Monthly

Fursan Health Clinic: $320,000 Investment Cost - $19,000 Op. Cost Monthly


The Fursan Health Clinic.


Fursan PD #1.

    
             A total of $830,000 initial investment has been made by Berber Dawa towards completing these projects, and he will also be expected to shell out approx. $50,000 a month in order to keep each facility functioning the way it should. The town of Fursan (or the land of Qumma, for that matter) currently is not able to support any of these projects, but with the small mandatory fees that will be levied on the residents, it is expected that at the beginning of the upcoming year, the QEC will be able to begin pitching in approx. 2% of the total monthly running costs to keep the projects operational, a reasonably good first step in self-sustaining itself.

   Fursan's population has already doubled to just over 1,000, according to the latest census, thanks to the new facilities constructed. Dawa also issued the QEC with orders to construct free housing for any family that was willing to move into Fursan, and many nomadic people as well as rural residents have quickly jumped on the opportunity to be closer to the school and clinic. The housings have cost Dawa just over $150,000 altogether, which brings his total investment into Fursan thus far to just under $1,000,000.

   The Istral Dawa Elem. School (named after Berber's great-grandfather) and Fursan Health Clinic have been a resounding success. The school currently employs 10 teachers, 1 for each grade, and has now accommodated 134 students. The clinic employs 5 doctors, and already a small expansion has been made to accommodate the number of patients that have used the facility.

   Berber Dawa has also announced the biggest project to be put forth as of yet; a small power plant that will replace the large generator just outside the village that currently keeps the power on for its residents. The road that leads to the generator will be extended about 1.23 kilometers, and at the end of that road, the power plant will be constructed. Dawa has stated that the power plant will be able to support a town of up to 20,000-25,000 people, and will create approximately 150 new jobs, capable of employing a large portion of the current estimated workforce of Fursan. However, it is widely expected that Dawa will put aside at least a 1/3 of the new jobs to bring in people from outside of Qumma, in order to further help the population grow.


A nice picture frame shot of Fursan.


An overview shot of the town.


The newly constructed desert road leading inland. It is rumored that it was constructed so that easy access would be had to the upcoming oil refineries.


Jmouse

Very nice update. I like the overall atmosphere, including the terrain and red-roofed houses. Your photos are really good.

Until next time...
Joan

bat

Wonderful update, nedalezz Great pictures! Fantastic looking overview shot of that town! :thumbsup:

rooker1

Another super update.  I really love the small life feeling I get when I look at these pictures.  Great work!

Robin   :thumbsup:
Call me Robin, please.

dedgren

All Right!  You're back, and this looks like great stuff.  I was a huge fan of the original Levante, and look back with some nostalgia when it, 3RR and jeronij's MDs were the only ones here.  That was just January of this year- time sure does fly.

When you hear that pitter-patter (thud-thud, actually) of big flat feet, that's me lurking.

Good luck!


David
D. Edgren

Please call me David...

Three Rivers Region- A collaborative development of the SC4 community
The 3RR Quick Finder [linkie]


I aten't dead.  —  R.I.P. Granny Weatherwax

Skype: davidredgren

Pat


sweeeeeeet nibblets i cant belive i missed the start of this MD wow its very good nedalezz  :thumbsup: :thumbsup: I will so be back for more - pat

Don't forget the SC4D Podcast is back and live on Saturdays @ 12 noon CST!! -- The Podcast soon to Return Here Linkie

nedalezz

REPLIES

Jmouse: Thanks. Im aiming to make a desert-styled MD reminiscint of the Gulf countries, but at the same time, I want it to have a Mediterrenean feel. It will be interesting to see how successful I can be mixing the different types of buildings that will inevitably contrast.

bat: Merci beaucoup! I like to mess around with Photoshop alot, as you can probably tell. Ive said it more than once, but I feel like it adds a whole new element to SimCity.

rooker1: Thanks! Inevitably, Fursan will get larger, and the small life feel is going to go, but more than likely, villages all across Qumma will begin popping up as the population grows. What will be lost in Fursan, will be found in other places!

dedgren: Hehe, Im honoured! You actually remember Levante, and you are right, it was one of the first MDs on this site. The problem is, my work takes up so much of my time, I just end up neglecting any city I might have started. I dont want that to happen with this one. Thank you again for the kind words, hope you keep checking up on Qumma.

patfirefghtr: Thank you, thank you! You might have missed the start, but atleast you are here now, hopefully to stay!


I was working a bit on the coastline today, and thought I'd show you an artistic shot of what I ended up with. The coast around Fursan is rocky, but almost all of the rest of Qumma's coastline is white, beautiful, and smooth. So here is a picture of what I ended up with. As for the update, I hope I can get one up by tomorrow :)

Pat


Nedalezz yuppers im here to stick around for ya's  :thumbsup:  i really do love that artiistic shot and the sun light is a great effect on the whole pic its self cant wait to see more - pat

Don't forget the SC4D Podcast is back and live on Saturdays @ 12 noon CST!! -- The Podcast soon to Return Here Linkie

bat

That's a nice new picture! Looking forward to the next update!