Abstract:

Economic interests, tourism, international cooperation and the mere export of Western society through the media result in cultural interferences which cannot be avoided in underdeveloped countries. This influence often leads to the creation - through imitation - of new paradigms associated with the image of success and wealth. In settings with limited resources, the alteration of social prestige models leads to the rejection of traditional ways of life, and assimilation has imported and reinterpreted canons which cause cultural impoverishment and worsen the quality of life.

In the case of housing, this influence usually takes material form in the abandonment of vernacular typologies to be replaced by lower quality housing built using cement and corrugated iron which are insalubrious and to the detriment of surrounding environment and landscape. These transformation dynamics, while inevitable and irreversible, can be redirected to improve the quality of life in communities, limiting this cultural impoverishment. In this process training and raising awareness among the local population are essential, while the role of NGOs can be extremely important. These bodies work directly with the parties involved and the result of their projects is often the construction of remarkable buildings that become architectural models in the communities. For this reason, the development of a responsible sustainable architecture for cooperation and increasing awareness and the technical empowerment of the local population are essential tools in guiding this change of paradigm.

This article aims to record the results and reflections of a training experience developed in Baasneeré (Burkina Faso) and focuses on the installation of roof systems other than simply corrugated iron. As part of the framework for the construction of a secondary school by the NGO Algemesí Solidari, a training programme was carried out based on practical workshops which included both building professionals and local young people, preparing them for the construction of the school roof, boosting their employability and encouraging the assimilation of a technique with the potential to respond to a search for new architecture while providing a healthy and sustainable alternative to construction with cement and corrugated iron used in recent years.

Keywords:

Transferring Skills and Disciplines, Career Development and Training, Workplace Training and Employability Issues.