Oleleshwa Primary School

Ewaso Ngiro, Kenya | built 2013 with Harambee 4 Humanity

*Nominated for Aga Kahn Award for Architecture; Finalist for Best Educational Building by the Architecture Association of Kenya; 2nd Runner Up for Green Building Award by Kenyan Energy Management

When the traditional nomadic lifestyle of the Maasai people of Kenya was challenged in the mid-nineties due to the distribution of land to individual families, the Maasai were forced to settle in growing towns. In response, the not-for-profit organization, Harambee 4 Humanity, was established to work with the community of Ewaso Ngiro in designing and building a more permanent school and community hub for the town’s growing population. Classrooms were designed with a focus on natural ventilation, natural lighting, and maintaining the Maasai’s identity through contemporary re-interpretations of traditional Maasai architecture and culture. To ensure access to education for children of both genders, features such as rainwater collection allow girls to attend school and take water home from the cistern instead of walking all day to obtain the family’s water.