Give Earthship Independence to the Children of Uganda

After facing decades of conflict and internal displacement perpetuated by a brutal rebel army, the people of northern Uganda are eager to return to peace and stability. Those returning to areas hit hard by conflict face the new obstacle of rebuilding entire homes, schools, and water and sanitation systems. Earthships and Invisible Children are excited to launch collaboration with the local community in northern Uganda to reconstruct Puranga Secondary School.

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After years of neglect and vandalism, the school is in desperate need of new classrooms, laboratories, and sanitation systems. Through Invisible Children's experience in working with the people of Uganda and Earthships' innovative biotecture methods, the partnership will not only rebuild facilities but also allow the community to harness local resources and sustainable building methods to create a stronger future for the youth of the region. InvisibleChildren.com

Northern Uganda has been a victim of the longest running rebel war known in African history, lasting over two decades and condemning an entire generation of innocent youths to destitution of unimaginable proportions. Forced into Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, northern Ugandans faced disease and starvation, waiting for stability and the opportunity to return home. With rebels being forced from the region in recent years, those in the IDP camps have begun the process of rebuilding their homes and communities. However, years of neglect and turmoil have left areas such as Puranga in need of entirely new schools, facilities, and water and sanitation systems.

Puranga Secondary School, founded in 1999 by the local community of Puranga sub-county, represents the resilience and hope of a people determined to take the future into their own hands. Puranga SS is located in the southern tip of Pader district. Bordering both Gulu and Lira districts, it covers a wide catchment area of potential feeder primary schools; the Puranga sub-county alone has 18 primary schools whose students depend on Puranga SS to continue their studies. In 2001 the Ugandan Ministry of Education and Sports incorporated the site and its facilities into the government secondary school network, however, due to intense fighting in the locality, the school was soon forced to close its doors and in 2002 relocated to Rac-koko military ground. The school was then again uprooted in 2003 and moved from Rac-koko into the nearby Puranga primary school. It was only recently, in 2005, that the school was returned home to its original site. Since opening, Puranga has never been afforded the necessity to settle and establish a solid foundation on which to grow. Now operating at their original site, Puranga SS hosts 182 students daily and is witnessing a population growth of over 100% each academic year. Classes range from S1 to S4, however, due to the lack of boarding accommodation, the school is witnessing huge dropout rates in the upper tiers. Three classroom blocks form the school’s only teaching facilities. Three dilapidated latrine blocks and two functional boreholes barely provide students and teachers with basic water and sanitation needs.

Now that peace and stability have returned to the region and fighting has been replaced with development, a new “army” is required. Gone are the days of LRA occupancy; armies of contractors and laborers are needed to repair the scars of years passed. Invisible Children and Earthship Earthship Biotecture are launching a collaborative project to assist this community in rebuilding Puranga Secondary School and providing a more promising future for the youth of the region.

Invisible Children encourages the introduction of new and innovative solutions to the problems faced by their partners. The Schools for Schools program is ready to act as a conduit between dire needs and creative solutions to problems. Together, Invisible Children and Earthship Biotecture will not only follow the pioneering spirit of S4S, but also introduce a methodology of construction that will benefit Puranga Secondary School and the wider community. Exposure to new technologies through direct implementation harnesses great potential in affording less fortunate communities the opportunity to develop in unison with modernity.

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