01 February 2010
Project launched to build pioneering Afghan school
Architects from the University of Sheffield and a local Sheffield teacher have joined together for a unique project, aiming to construct a new school in one of the poorest rural areas of Afghanistan.
The project, which is in the early stages of collaboration, is the brainchild of Ramon Mohamed, a 49-year old teacher from Broomhill. He recently visited the war-torn country to explore his family roots.
After observing several outdoor schools, he became passionate about building a new school on the border of Afghanistan in the Jalalabad area of the country. The community-based schools in Afghanistan have a teaching day of only three hours. The children who attend will have been working all day in the fields or their homes and many children don't even attend school at all.
After formulating his idea, Ramon approached the University´s School of Architecture to collaborate on the project. The Bureau of Design Research (BDR) within the School, has previous experience of working on a range of educational projects, from researching some of the best designed schools around the world to working with school pupils in the UK developing innovative new learning environments.
After meeting with Ramon, the BDR are aiming to engage with young people and teachers in Afghanistan by sending resources and props to them including specially designed board games, creative surveying tools and fact-finding assignments to help develop a design brief for the project. By exchanging information and ideas with them over a period of time the goal will be to establish a creative dialogue to lead to the construction of schools that are rooted to their locality and made by local people.
An exhibition of the photos Ramon took of the schools in Afghanistan is currently being held in the Cream Café in Broomhill. The team are now seeking extra funding and sponsorship to sustain the project.
Ramon said: "I thought I had mentally prepared myself for the trip to Afghanistan but to be actually standing on Afghan soil looking at schools and children I was shocked by the poverty. The schools were situated on barren, dusty earth. The children sat on thin straw matting and the classrooms consisted of recycled wood, a straw roof and one small side wall made from stones taken from the hillside. I was very humbled to see the children who were so passionate about wanting to learn despite sitting outside and in the rain with the sounds of bombs and shooting in the distance. They are just so desperate for a building and I am now looking for experts and volunteers to help support and sustain this project."
Leo Care, Associate Director of the BDR at the University, said: "We are excited about being involved in such an innovative project with a strong humanitarian imperative. We hope we will be able to support the Afghan people to build the types of schools they would like to see, whilst also being inspirational and innovative in their design and facilities for supporting education. We are now in the stages of planning how to take the project to the next level and are looking for funding to ensure that we make Ramon´s dream a reality." Notes for Editors: Anyone interested in supporting or sponsoring the project should contact Ramon on ramon@ramonmohamed.com
and for further information please visit: Ramon's webpage
For further information please contact: Lauren Anderson, Media Relations Officer, on 0114 2221046 or email l.h.anderson@sheffield.ac.uk
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