First rammed earth building

We completed our first rammed earth building on the Landirani Training Village site in November 2011.  George Phiri (from EAT) came down from Nkhata Bay to teach 10 local people the technique.  7 men and 3 women were trained and all received a certificate at the end.  The dwelling was one main living area 3.5m x 4.5m and either side of it there was a 1.5m square room.  One was for a wash room and the other for the kitchen which had a double fuel saving oven build inside.  Since the rainy season had just started we were unable to thatch the roof, so put on a reeded roof with plastic sheeting underneath to keep it waterproof.  All 10 trainees said they would like to live in a house like this!  Our next rammed earth project is to build a Community Based Childcare Centre next to this dwelling.  Our trainees will then be paid to build this, bringing our first training on The Landirani Training Village site come into reality.  This project will start in May 2012.  It is funded by Aid Camps International and if you want to be part of this project and have a 3 week trip to Malawi in September, helping do some finishing touches, please go to their website www.aidcamps.org.