"So I learned that 'sustainable' is not always 'sustainable'.
Melanie is an architect and now lives in Lausanne. Last March, she took part in Team works! and spent time at a vocational school in the Ruhango District in Rwanda. There, she worked with her tandem partner and SES expert Irene Albers-Richter to support the building construction department. Here, she tells us what she was able to pass on and what she learned!
The interview
In which company did you complete your internship? What were your main activities?
As an architect, I completed my three-week internship at a vocational school, specifically the Lycée de Ruhango in Rwanda, in the field of construction. Together with the SES expert, I was assigned to the teachers of ‘building construction’ and our task was to train them primarily in CAD programmes so that they could keep up with technological changes. During the computer-aided drawing sessions, we were also able to discuss the basic principles of architecture. In addition, we went through various construction principles together.
What did you learn during your internship, whether from your colleagues, supervisors or independently?
Together with the SES expert, I tried to introduce the aspect of sustainability. As an economically growing country, Rwanda sees the greatest progress in reinforced concrete constructions, which Europe is already trying to move away from again due to their negative environmental impact. We presented wood to the teachers as a naturally renewable, versatile building material whose static load-bearing capacity in an industrially processed product was unknown to them. Nevertheless, the question remains whether wood can be used in Rwanda on such a large scale as it is here, as the location factors are different and there is not enough forest cover to meet construction needs. So I learned that “sustainable” is not always “sustainable”.
Why did you choose Team works! and the AGYO?
As the title of the programme line suggests, I was very taken with the idea of forming teams with the population of an African country in order to exchange ideas and learn from each other.
What are the advantages of being in a tandem team with an SES expert?
On the one hand, the SES expert had selected some wonderful examples of projects built in Rwanda that are both sustainable in terms of their social approach and use vernacular aesthetic materials. This was instructive in terms of broadening my professional horizons and seeing some great projects in my host country. On the other hand, it proved very interesting to hear about the SES expert's previous experiences in other countries where she had worked.
What advice would you give to other young people who are interested in doing an internship in an African country?
Just go there with an open mind. The people there will welcome you with openness and curiosity! And of course, it's always helpful to learn about the culture and history of your host country in advance.
Name three things you’ve taken away from your internship:
- The concept of time is different in Rwanda.
- You have to lower your expectations of yourself and engage more with the culture of the host country.
- Unfortunately, my internship was only temporary, so in some areas I could only scratch the surface.
What will you never forget?
In Rwanda, you need time. I learned this quickly on my very first evening, when the director invited us to dinner at a restaurant with other teachers. The first thing he did was pull out a deck of UNO cards. At first, it seemed a little strange to me in that context, but I quickly understood that Rwanda has a different understanding of time. And so we spent a social evening together.
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