Global Holcim Awards finalist 2009

A strong center builds

a strong community
Low-cost school and home for
HIV orphans, Rakai, Uganda
Regional competition

Holcim Awards Silver 2008 Africa Middle East; jury appraisal page 95

It takes a village to raise a child, runs the

African proverb. Yet for millions of children
whose parents have fallen victim to HIV/Aids,
the saying takes on new meaning. Orphans
in the Ugandan district of Rakai are in the
process of creating their own village based
upon an innovative concept from a Japanese
architect.

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This tree is an important symbol for

the community.
Koji Tsutsui

estimated. Uganda is open about the

problem and therefore on the way to
mitigating its devastating effects. Public
education campaigns are supported; there

In a classroom of the Samanya orphanage

The fight against Aids

is strong government leadership; even in

in Rakai, some 20 children sing and dance

Uganda is a country heavily impacted by

remote areas testing and counseling are

for their adult guests. More than 100

HIV/Aids. It is almost 30 years since the

quite easily accessible.

people sit in the hot and sticky hall,

first epidemic was recorded in the south-

drenched by mixed emotion should they

western district of Rakai. Because many

With President Yoweri Museveni using any

celebrate the strength the children find in

refuse to be tested, the number of

opportunity to reinforce the message,

their music, or lament the tragedy of their

HIV-positive inhabitants can only be

these efforts are bearing results. Where, in

suffering?

But the children are unaware of their

surroundings, instead immersed only in
their music and movement, their song
about a life unwished for, but inherited all
the same: Were the younger generation
crying for the elder Aids, Aids, Aids! The
singing swells. And hope triumphs, not
least because of the future they are
building for themselves.

With music and movement, the children learn to cope with their situation.

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1992, 30% of pregnant women tested HIV-

Average life expectancy is a young 52

to care for their younger sisters or

positive, now the rate is less than 5% but

years, and with the adult population vastly

brothers and maintain the household, if

despite such indicators of success, almost

impacted, half of the Ugandan populace is

possible. Otherwise it is the life of the

one-quarter of Rakais population are

under the age of 15. UNAIDS estimates

streets, fringe-dwellers on the edges

HIV-positive. The fight against Aids still

that there are 1.2 million Aids-orphans in

of villages. Or an orphanage if space

continues.

Uganda.

is available. Everything suffers the

childrens emotional development,

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Uganda is often held up as a model for

Love for people

basic survival needs of shelter, food

Africa in the fight against HIV/Aids. But

They live a precarious existence. Once a

and health care, education. Whether

improving statistics cannot hide the

mother dies, the family fragments unless

infected or not, the stigma of Aids

tragedy of a nation already decimated. The

there is strong support from other carers.

follows them everywhere. A tragedy

effects are personal, social and economic.

It usually falls, therefore, to older siblings

in any language.

Yet into this mix are people who care, who

under a large and shady tree. It was a

NGOs in the capital of Kampala, there

support the poorest of the poor, give hope

beginning. It was enough.

was no help from any international NGO

to those without hope. One such person is

in Rakai. Aids orphans built their homes

Ssenkima. In 2000, this man from Rakai

Help from Japan

themselves and the houses were in a

was allocated nine hectares of land on the

The fact that the orphanage has grown,

dangerous situation.

outskirts of town which were then used

and is a warm and beautiful place in

to established the Samanya orphanage

which the children feel loved and at home

It was simply by chance that Mukwano

for the first 13 children. Why? His love

is thanks to NGO Mukwano. Established in

decided to support the Samanya

for people. As simple as that. The shelter

Japan in 2006, the meaning of Mukwano

orphanage in Rakai. There are similar

was rudimentary, a hut of corrugated

is close friend in the local language of

orphanages operating throughout

iron. Food was cooked on an open fire.

Lugandan. Although there was considerable

Uganda, all of which are in need. The first

Committed teachers conducted lessons

support from the government and some

goal agreed upon was the construction of

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a proper home and school, a solid base on

A tree called home

which the children could depend. Longer-

Mukwano raised funds in Japan to build

term, the plan is to invest in vocational

the orphanage. They also found an

designed buildings in France, Japan and

training and employment opportunities

architect who was passionate about the

the USA. Koji Tsutsui described how

for the children as they grow towards

project and willing to forego payment. Koji

touched he was that the orphans would

adulthood. Educating the children in

Tsutsui is a 37-year-old globetrotter from

undertake construction themselves,

sexual health, to ensure their protection

Tokyo. He studied through work under

learning as they went.

from the fate of their parents, is also a

Japanese star architect, Tadao Ando at his

priority. Overall, Mukwano aims to

studio in Osaka and undertook his Masters

But I also saw opportunities to learn

contribute to lessening the HIV infection

study in London. In 2004, he opened his

myself Uganda is so different to Tokyo,

rate in the Rakai district.

architectural studio in Tokyo and has

here was my chance to experience

The buildings are grouped around a central courtyard. In

this way the family feel of the orphanage is strengthened.

something completely new. Koji Tsutsui

developed his concept for the orphanage
through lengthy discussions with the
people from Mukwano. While it respected
local traditions, it was still innovative in
design. Normally, Ugandan buildings are in
a row village on one side, road on the
other. Instead, the architect grouped a
series of small houses in a circle like a
traditional African village, and around the
Earlier, the children were taught under this tree. Now it stands proud at the center of their community.

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tree under which the children took their

first lessons. This tree is an important

symbol for the community, Koji Tsutsui
explains. It stands at the centre of their

This is the childrens home

community.
Koji Tsutsui

world. For the children, it is the tree which

makes this place home, from which strong

home community, he says. They will

building a functioning community, one

bonds can be forged.

want to stay. And there is space enough,

that gives people the feeling that they

even for the vocational training center

belong to a place. That feeling of

The power of architecture

Mukwano has planned. The Samanya

belonging is not to a small degree caused

Koji Tsutsuis concept has been developed

orphanage stands alone on a plateau.

by the orphans participation in building

with the long-term in mind. He thought

According to Koji Tsutsui, architecture is a

the brick and wood houses themselves,

not only of an orphanage, but an entire

powerful medium for change. We are

together with their teachers. The architect

village of the future. When the children

are old enough to live alone, they can
choose to build their own home in the
same style, he says. Over time you could
see many small house groups like this one,
each around its own center. A village
would simply have many centers.

He is convinced that the present-day

orphanage will, in time, form part of a
larger village. This is the childrens

As the children grow to adulthood, they can plan their own homes and thus grow Samanya from an orphanage into a village.

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provided drawings of plans, sections,

Water tanks and solar collectors

elevations and details, but he also gave

When Koji Tsutsui set foot in Uganda to

flexibility to use the drawings. I thought

see the finished project, he could not hide

for play or study. All in the shade. The

it was important that they could interpret

his delight: It looked exactly as I

children themselves are very proud to

the ideas themselves, according to their

imagined! The spaces between the huts

show off their achievements they have

own local traditions and needs.

offer the children various opportunities

built their community out of brick walls

Samanya a concpet for a small yet extendable village.

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Plans are in place for extending the orphanage director

and architect discuss various possibilities.