CHW project – Ruhiira, Uganda

The construction materials used for building come almost exclusively from the local area – very local – right next to the structure local. The soil is rich with red clay.  The lowest cost construction is mud and water mixed into a sticky batter that is slapped into a a grid of sticks tied together with banana trunk strips or twine. Usually covered with a smooth layer of cow dung – also very local. In the rainy season a wall of banana thatch is used to keep the rain of the sides of the building. Roofs are made of banana thatch.  Windows and doors are bought from the local millworker who uses hand tools – saw, plane and measuring tape.  The paint comes from Mbarara – bought in the local “we sell a bit of everything” shop. The second type of construction is brick.  Clay is taken right from the yard, mixed with water and ash and formed.  They build a kiln around the bricks, of cricks and slow fire over a series of days.  The concrete is also a local recipe. Workers tools are a plumb bob, string and a tool to butter the bricks. I didn’t see a level.  The roof on the brick homes is corrugated tin – the cost of which put a bit of a halt to moving in – lots of homes were finished except for this feature.  The third type of construction was concrete and stucco. It looks very Italian in comparison to the modest mud and brick – with concrete railings and details. Overall the use  local materials created a very integrated aesthetic that was textural and beautiful to look at.  Floors were always dirt. Homes average about 15 feet wide by ten feet deep, one story.

UNDP Field Office

Bar, Barber and Hotel

Outbuildings are always mud and stick except for an occasional log cabin construction – but trees are scarce so this is unusual.  The typical outbuilding were the latrine, kitchen and bath shelter, sometime a goat house.  There must be some night time predator for goats because in lieu of a goat house they would often be tied up in the kitchen if it was a very rural area.  I also saw a corn crib and various storage sheds.  

Latrine with banana thatch

Latrine with tin roof

Latrine interior with basket to hold "toilet paper"

Bath shelter on back of kitchen

Corn crib