WEbuilding

Chiuno Cultural Center

 

Year
2020 – ongoing

Location
Kasungu, Malawi

Context
Rural

Size
2,5 ha / 11 classrooms, kindergarten, toilets, mensa

Service
Preliminary design

Partners
YOOW e.V.

Sustainability
Local workers + training 

Chiuno Cultural Center

We-Building plans to provide architectural support to the Berlin-based YOOW e.V. association in the expansion of their cultural center through the construction of 11 classrooms.

Issue

In Chiuno Village, there is no electricity and no running water. The people live on subsistence agriculture, with only one harvest possible per year: after the rainy season. Arable land therefore remains unused for a large part of the year due to the lack of water. Day labor means that family fathers often have to work away from home and are therefore seldom available for the family.

The project has come into being due to the wish of the villagers. They would like to have a kindergarten, a school, a doctor’s house and training workshops especially for women to start their own business.  For the realization the CBO was founded and the cooperation with YOOW e.V. was concluded.

 

Friendly classrooms in traditional brick construction are planned. Rainwater is collected and used for garden irrigation. The domestic water comes from a deep well. Hot water and electricity result from solar energy. Wastewater is separated into gray water and fecal matter and treated in a small bio-treatment plant. The property is planted with all the usual fruit trees, in addition to shade trees. A large vegetable garden is used for self-sufficiency for the canteen, where healthy nutrition is offered and taught. The canteen is also a meeting place for school and other events (weddings, family celebrations, culture, senior citizens’ meeting, etc.). The planned sports field – as well as the teachers’ apartments – is a condition of the school authorities to take over the operation of the school.  Besides the school, the kindergarten and the canteen, a doctor’s house (clinic) and training workshops will be realized on the site.

Primary School with 8 classrooms for 256 pupils. The staff consists of 8 teachers including the Headmaster. There is an office for the Headmaster in the separate library building.The Kindergarten (Preschool) is designed for 60 children. The childcare staff here will include 6 people.