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Case Study: Africa
Uganda
The secondary school being developed in northern Uganda by the Society of Jesus has
come some way since we first reported on it.
Furthering Africa’s
Education
T
he Ugandan chapter of the Society of Jesus is
developing and constructing a modern secondary
school located near the city of Gulu, some 355km
north of the country’s capital, Kampala. It’s a three-
phase project developed according to flow of funds
from various donors, which include foundations and
individuals in the USA, alumni of a college based in
Wisconsin, and a number of organisations in Europe.
The school has been designed to accommodate 1 200
boys and girls, drawing students from the entire region
and housing boarders. Also included in the plans are
faculty housing, a Jesuit residence and two convents for
sisters.
It is being built using the Hydraform Building System
(HBS) and is now in its final stages, withmajor infrastructure
completion expected by 2017. According to the Society,
HBS was chosen for its comparative cost advantage
over conventional building materials, its environmental
friendliness, and its cost-effectiveness.
An important factor that influenced the choice of
construction methodology was the need for the school
to be environmentally and culturally sensitive. Hydraform
soil cement blocks fit that profile because there is no
need to cut down trees for burning in the curing process
– that is accomplished with a combination of water and
sunlight.
The main beneficiaries of the project are communities
in northern Uganda, mainly the Acholi sub-region. The
project employs around 100 regular workers, although
more than 500 have been employed (both directly and
indirectly) since inception of the project.
In addition, along the way more than 100 youths have
been trained in block production, artisanal works, and
electrical, welding and metal fabrication.
After the project is completed, the school will retain
a small team that will continue to produce blocks for
vocational purposes for as long as the two machines last.
And, given the robust design of Hydraform machines,
this could be for another 20 years or more.