Building a future for overseas children

A Chichester-based architecture firm is making a difference to education on the other side of the world.
One of the schools built as part of the projectOne of the schools built as part of the project
One of the schools built as part of the project

jbA Architecture has teamed up with the United World Schools charity to support the development of kindergarten schools for children in Cambodia.

The charity is dedicated to improving educational opportunities for the world’s poor and marginalised children by building schools and providing free basic education.

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jbA were first approached by the charity to provide drawings and produce 3D renders of the schools to help them secure funding for their latest project in Cambodia. The project was approved and five kindergartens have been constructed using jbA’s drawings which the firm provided free of charge.

Leah Shanahan, partner at jbA, said: “When we heard about the project we jumped at the chance to be involved in any way we could.

“We are so pleased that our drawings and 3D renders helped United World Schools secure sufficient funding to provide children with a better start in life and an education - something we often take for granted over here.”

Still in its pilot phase, the project has seen five kindergartens built in villages within the Ratanakiri province of Cambodia, all built from local timber cut down by local labourers.

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The buildings were designed with the area’s extreme weather conditions in mind. Each of the kindergartens has been raised up to one metre off the ground and each roof has a large overhang to combat monsoon season.

The new kindergartens will give younger children a stepping stone into primary education and older children, who might be caring for younger siblings, will be able to attend school full time.

If this pilot phase is successful, the charity hope to scale up the kindergarten project and develop new kindergarten schools throughout the region.

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