Goals of the Library Earthship Build:
- Build a library for the school that keeps itself cool and comfortable through thermal and solar dynamics.
- Awareness and solutions to the massive rubbish problem in Guinea, practical recycling into building materials.
- Demonstrate and teach these sustainable building solutions to the children, community and the country, leading to the creation of jobs and greater awareness of the environment.
- Teaching through this hands-on project sets the groundwork for the next earthship build.
Pangea Builders is working with EcoGuinea Foundation to teach the Guinean people sustainable solutions by building a super-sustainable library for the primary school children of Yimbaya. Pangea Builders will work with and teach children at the school and the wider community. Students from around the world and within Guinea will join our build to learn sustainable systems and construction and experience the beautiful culture of Guinea.
Guinea: A Country on the Move
Guinea is a small, beautiful, tropical country in West Africawhose culture is rich and ancient; it has in particular a love of stories and music. Books and learning are the link between the past and a better future for the children.
Guinea became a democracy in 2010 and the government has scrambled to lift an ailing economy ravaged by years of military dictatorship and devastated by Ebola. The government is now vigorously supporting education and reading as a major driver of change.
It remains however, the 10th poorest country in the world (by GDP). According to UNICEF data, the country has very low literacy rates among 15-24 year-old youth; 36% among males, 22% among females. In November of 2017 The European Union announced it will contribute €400 million to support Guinea’s progress.
Conakry, Guinea’s capital was chosen by UNESCO as the Book Capital of the Year 2017. A rich, year-long programme of activities mobilised authors, publishers, teachers, librarians to develop and energise the reading culture, particularly among children, awakening them to the creativity and originality of Africa’s writers, storytellers and artists. Books were available to browse in the streets, massive billboards promoted African authors —even slam poetry and acrobatic shows highlighted education, especially youth and literacy. It has helped the country to literally turn the page on the 2013-16 Ebola epidemic.
“Books, learning and reading are key to human life. The strong investment of the Republic of Guinea in promoting books and literacy bears witness to a clear vision of culture and education as drivers of development and recovery,” said Irina Bokova, UNESCO’s Director General
On the heels of this fruitful year, our Earthship Library will provide the Hadjia Aicha Bah Primary School with their own “Aladdin’s Cave” of books and Internet. The children will have a comfortable library to research, study and achieve a heightened awareness of super-sustainable buildings they can share with their families and friends.
Everyone has the right to education; article 26, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations
Pangea Builders is an educational and research organization providing sustainable buildings for residential, commercial and government use. They are available for projects small and large. New builds, custom builds and renovations & remodels. Pangea Builders offers a comprehensive suite of community development services that allow individuals, communities, and cities to completely thrive as independently as possible.
EcoGuinea Foundation addresses extreme poverty through sustainable local infrastructure. The mission of EcoGuinea is to promote low-cost eco-solutions that address basic needs (such as sewage, water, power, housing, food production and better health) and create local infrastructure for self-sufficiency. EcoGuinea fosters healthy, thriving communities in the Guinea by supporting families to improve their lives through green, practical and low-cost solutions.
