Langbos Children's Centre Superadobe Construction (Eastern Cape, South Africa)

Описание: Intsikelelo is a nonprofit with a mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable individuals in South Africa by developing and supporting community-driven initiatives.

In 2017, we constructed the Langbos Children’s Centre as an infrastructure addition to the Langbos Crèche and Langbos Community Centre in Addo, Eastern Cape. This facility serves as a multipurpose platform to launch new youth-centered initiatives and interventions Langbos.

In constructing the center, we utilized an alternative “eco-building” method called Superadobe as a way to involve the local Langbos community and make the most efficient use of our limited material resources in Langbos. Superadobe is a simple building method that uses local soil mixed with a small amount of cement to build beautiful and strong dome structures based on simple geometry and engineering principles. Superadobe integrates traditional earth architecture with contemporary global safety requirements and has been endorsed by the United Nations as well as awarded the prestigious Aga Khan Award for Architecture (California Institute of Earth Architecture).

Using Superadobe allowed us to recruit and train an all-local team in Langbos to carry out this construction project. As a result, we were able to create jobs and skills training, provide daily nutritious meals to everyone involved, and connect with community members while giving them ownership of the project. Together, 30 Langbos residents came together for over 35,000 paid hours of collaborative work to build this unique structure.

This team of “community builders” included men and women of all ages working together to learn new skills and overcome challenges throughout the project. Aside from a competitive wage and the satisfaction of uplifting their community, they were also provided with health support and professional development, including free trips to the local clinic and CV writing. Some team members saved up their earnings during the project to purchase their own truck, which allowed them to take on and complete another paid Superadobe project to build an outdoor classroom for a nearby school. Others have also continued to stay involved with Intsikelelo projects— helping us conduct our community research, partaking in our education sponsorships, and continuing to work in various community-focused roles at the Langbos Crèche and Care Centre.

For more more information, please visit https://www.intsikelelo.org/domes