Half of Uganda’s population is under the age of 15. Especially in rural areas, children lack adequate access to education. The organisation „A Chance For Children“ runs schools at remote locations to increase student access. In cooperation with this non-profit organization, we built the „Kifufu Integrative School“, a primary school with an integrative approach, in the district of Mubende. The project started in the beginning of 2017. We went to Africa to build the first part of the campus within only four months.

The campus is structured into five parts. In the lower west side, there are 14 classrooms of the primary school, whereas further east the section for children with mental and physical disabilities is located. For these children, the „Kifufu Integrative School“ offers special therapy rooms, classes and dormitories. Therefore, creating a barrier-free environment was one of the main objectives, but also a big challenge as the site is located on a slope.

The back of the campus is a more quiet area with housings for staff and dormitories for boys and girls. In the centre is the community building including offices, a laboratory, the kitchen and an assembly hall which connects to the library. Dining, studying and community life takes place on a big terraced veranda.

Another big focus is set on agricultural components: A banana garden, a vegetable patch and fruit trees help the school to supply itself and show the kids how to utilise the richness of their soil.

The seasons also have a big impact on the design of “Kifufu Integrative School”: Inspired by Francis Keres, a second ceiling was installed to prevent classrooms from overheating during dry season and to muffle the sound of rain during rainy season. Covered outdoor classrooms allow the students to study outside.

In February 2017 constructions started with a team of 13 local workers. The ambitioned goal: Opening the first seven classrooms in May. The resources were limited: There was no electricity, water had to be fetched at a small borehole and bricks were only available during dry season when the farmers had time to burn them on their fields.

The challenging construction conditions pushed us to our limits in many ways. At the same time, we had the chance to work with great local craftsmen and experience construction in its most fundamental form.

The resulting elementary school has been in operation since May 2017 and will hopefully open up new perspectives for hundreds of students in the future.