build together, learn together

Working on a construction site, especially on a different continent and under entirely different circumstances than in one's familiar environment, requires flexibility, the ability to adapt to the limited resources available, and often finding new solutions through improvisation. In the student group, spontaneous creativity is just as important as responsibility and teamwork. For some, this marks the beginning of a shift in thinking, as the challenges of such projects can only be solved through collaboration among all involved parties. However, the group also needs to integrate and communicate with local workers. Often, overcoming language barriers is easier than coordinating different working methods. Even if it means that a wall needs to be rebuilt, collaborating with local people is the most crucial step for the sustainable impact of our projects.

In the vicinity of our previous construction projects, the lack of employment opportunities is a central issue. Employment on a construction site for a few weeks can only be a temporary solution. However, it is crucial for our local workers, primarily young men without formal training, to learn techniques and work methods and acquire new skills. Additionally, being willing to address the specific needs of the local people and involve them in decision-making processes is of great importance in promoting acceptance and identification with the emerging facilities. We must communicate with village leaders, chiefs, and neighbors, and learn to understand their perspectives and problems.

Mteteleli Mbokodi is an African builder with great skill and extensive experience in concreting, bricklaying, and plastering. He was a stroke of luck for the last school construction site. Together with the students and young workers, he taught them how to plaster an uneven wall smoothly, how to mix the right mortar in large piles on the ground, and how to achieve a good result with simple tools. He felt comfortable as a teacher for the group, which consisted of young Africans and Europeans of the same age but with diverse backgrounds. There was much laughter, and everyone enjoyed trying things out, tossing mortar and newly learned words to each other, and finally standing together in front of the finished walls of the school building. Through this, everyone surely learned much more together than just how to plaster a house.