A Community-Centred Construction Process

Funded by the Holcim Foundation and led by NGX ambassadors Meriem Chabani, Vedhant Maharaj, Twaha Kyumuhendo and Stefan Novakovic, the 200-square-metre healthcare facility is fast taking shape. The healthcare hub is designed to include a maternity ward and expanded community health centre.

The main brick structure has now been constructed, and work has begun on installing the roof trusses, developed through an on-site workshop led by Vedhant Maharaj and construction manager Raymond Mushi. The trusses are tailored to the local climate, optimised for airflow and passive ventilation. In parallel, an expert local implementation team has started installing ventilated breeze block façades, helping to establish shaded, naturally cooled indoor-outdoor spaces throughout the building.

Final Works and Future Readiness

Over the coming weeks, final construction work will focus on plumbing, window and door installation, exterior finishes, and interior fit-outs. In keeping with the project’s participatory ethos, the construction process also doubles as a training opportunity — building on the immersive student workshop held in 2023 with participants from ÉNSA Paris-Malaquais in France and Ardhi University in Tanzania.

Addressing Urgent Healthcare Needs

From the outset, the Clinic of Care: Tanzania has addressed a pressing need for safer, more sanitary maternal healthcare in the region. In Nkweshoo and the surrounding mountain communities, the majority of women have historically given birth without access to dedicated facilities, contributing to maternal and infant mortality rates well above the global average. According to lead clinician Dr Gregory Kwayu, the new clinic is poised to significantly improve outcomes across the region.

“Once this project is completed, it will be a major help not only to Nkweshoo, but also to nearby villages, all of which lack a maternal clinic and dedicated facilities for pre- and post-natal care,” says Kwayu. “I think it will change a lot.”

A Lasting Legacy of Collaboration

With locally sourced materials, vernacular construction techniques, and a design shaped by a deep community engagement, the clinic exemplifies the Holcim Foundation’s commitment to bridge education and the practice of sustainable construction. As the project nears completion, it stands as a lasting symbol of what can be achieved through collaborative design, grassroots partnership, and architecture grounded in local knowledge.