Improvement of the Educational Network of Rural Community Bissiga . Ziga , Burkina Faso. Architects Without Borders. Burkina Faso

Only 28.7 % of the population is literate in Burkina Faso (47 % male 33 % female) while the average of African countries is about 55 %.
The project aim is to make a shift. Being that there is a considerable deficit of school facilities in rural areas of the country.
For this reason ASF (Architects Without Borders) has developed a program in Burkina Faso from 2014 to 2017. With the aim of improve the educational infrastructures in rural areas of the country.

NARRATIVE SUMMARY

Specifically, in Bissiga's area, ASF is participating in the implementing of the Community Development Plan drafted by the Municipal Development Council Ziga, municipality where the project is located.

The beneficiaries are the whole population of the town of Bissiga, as well as people from surrounding towns, because the school facilities in rural areas of Burkina Faso are very deficient or inexistent.

With the provision of the new school infrastructure in the area, it is expected to improve the economic development of the population, as the schooling implies a shifting in economic development and therefore indirectly benefits the entire population.

Architects Without Borders has been developing this Action Plan for the Improvement of the Educational Network in Bissiga since 2013, from an exploratory mission, where they could see the existing school facilities, "l'écolle paillote" – self-constructed school in the association of parents. The existent school only has two classrooms built with straw and do not meet the conditions set by law for schools.

The ASF action program intended to replace and expand the existing school and provide it with a well and furniture.
 

Given the size of the project, it has been divided in phases for its development.

Currently the first phase of the program is under development. To improve the infrastructure of water supply sector, a well has been constructed, also 3 of the 6 new classrooms for the proper functioning of the school and the construction of 3 houses for teachers and the building of a latrines package. The aim is to provide the school equipment's with latrines and training students and teachers in hygiene and health.

The second phase of the program, that is the subject of this project, is to provide school equipment for a 4th classroom and another group of latrines (4 units).

The project will build two and three classrooms for teachers. To complete the full program of the school in Bissiga .

Normally the development and construction of primary schools in Burkina Faso, follows the standard model of the Ministry of Education. Which thermal comfort and building weather conditions are well studied.

What we are proposing with this project is the improvement of the standard model , following the use of traditional construction techniques but with a small modification of its composition, and giving it a substantial improvement, with its comfort, as climatic and spatial conditions and considerably improving the outer space, which is normally very forgotten in this type of project .