Open Architecture Network

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Tongo is a small village located 50 kilometers southeast of Segou in Mali, West Africa. The population is less than a thousand inhabitants, made up primarily of the Bambara ethnic group. There is no electricity or running water in the area and most families survive on a small income from subsistence farming of millet, corn, and peanuts. The existing school in Tongo consists of two small classrooms made of sticks and leaves. Since there are only two rooms, first and second grade students attend in the morning while third and forth grade students attend in the afternoon. There is no fifth or sixth grade class, class, making it nearly impossible for students to complete the full first cycle, and continue on with their education. The construction of a new 6-room schoolhouse will give students, for the first time, the opportunity to move on to second cycle, high school, and university. The design of the new building emphasizes the use of locally available materials, local knowledge systems, and community involvement in all stages of the project. The scope of construction includes a 6-classroom school building, a large-scale rainwater harvesting system, children's garden, and four outdoor composting latrines. Focus on local materials instead of expensive imported cement cement will greatly reduce the environmental impact of the school's construction, while the introduction of rainwater harvesting to the area will help fill the desperate need for water during the lengthy dry season. This project is being funded by charitable donations through the Peace Corps Partnership Program. Donations can be made online at www.peacecorps.gov Click on Donate Now, search for volunteer projects in Mali, and select Tongo Schoolhouse Construction Project.