Nyawa Community Center
An inclusive community center with library, reading room, and flexible spaces for self-help groups. Changing rooms support girls’ sports participation and promote empowerment and development.
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Nyawa. Zambia | ZAM 001 | |
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Started: September 1, 2025. |
| Phase | Ongoing. | Type | Community facilities. |
| Target Group | Women and youth. | Partner | - |
| Client | Nyawa United | Donor | Patel & Abdelmaguid Foundation (PAF) |
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Locally-sourced and produced materials, passive solutions, bioclimatic design | ||
1. Observe.
Why, context, challenge.
Empowering women
Access to literacy skills is a fundamental human right that can empower women to play a more active role in society and achieve financial independence. Due to factors such as early marriages, teenage pregnancies, socio-economic challenges, and educational system priorities, there is a higher number of illiterate women in the country.
Encouraging sports participation.
The establishment of a girls’ football team in Nyawa, a rural village in Zambia, has been the first step into the creation of a space where women develop more than skills in sports - it is a space where the girls are thriving individually, boosting their self-esteem and enhancing other important life-skills such as togetherness, collaboration, decision-making, and communication-skills. The girls act as role models for other young females in their communities, both on and off the playing field.
A room to learn, grow and connect.
Libraries are vital for sharing knowledge, and access to information can determine whether communities thrive or struggle. In Zambia, most libraries are in urban areas, leaving rural populations underserved. A community center with a library and multipurpose rooms would greatly support education for women and youth in these areas.
The multi-purpose room will be a flexible and inclusive space where community members can come together to support one another through dialogue, shared experiences, and practical learning.
The changing rooms will provide a safe and private space for individuals, particularly girls, to change into sportswear and prepare for physical activities. These rooms are essential for encouraging greater participation in sports, especially among girls who may otherwise face cultural or practical barriers.
2. Identify.
Who, target, user, facts.
55,4%
55,4% of Zambia’s population live in rural areas.
49.8%
49.8% of the rural population is literate. Rural female literacy rate is 43.5% and 55,0% for male population.
78.8%
Rural poverty rate is 78.8%
Support an Ongoing Project.
Discover our current fundraising campaigns and get involved.
Help Build Hope
The community center in Nyawa will be a safe and inclusive meeting place, especially for young girls and women, where they can gather, develop, share ideas and build the future together.
Help Build Hope
In the heart of the rainforest, the Guaraní people are facing a severe housing crisis—one that threatens their unique culture and way of life. This project empowers local communities through hands-on training in a simple, replicable building system made from local materials like wood, earth, and clay.