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.

place Nyawa. Zambia ZAM 001
Surface - Date Started:
September 1, 2025.
Phase Ongoing. Type Community facilities.
Target Group Women and youth. Partner -
Client Nyawa United Donor Patel & Abdelmaguid Foundation (PAF)
Tecnology 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. 

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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.

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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.

Surface

55,4%

55,4% of Zambia’s population live in rural areas.

Surface

49.8%

49.8% of the rural population is literate. Rural female literacy rate is 43.5% and 55,0% for male population.

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78.8%

Rural poverty rate is 78.8%

Who participate

Quique Bayarri Sabariego

Quique Bayarri Sabariego

Architect - Project Achitect - quique@augnorge.org
Quique Bayarri holds a degree in architecture from the Universitat Politècnica de València, with additional studies in Delft, Madrid, and Granada. Quique has extensive and solid experience at Norwegian architectural firms, ranging from concept development to the execution phase of both residential and office buildings. He has been collaborating with Architects Without Borders Norway (AUG) since 2017 and has been a board member since 2018. He is equally dedicated to finding the best concept for a project as he is to its expression through detailed construction work. With a particular interest in sustainable architecture and construction techniques, he firmly believes that architecture must be influenced by the place where it is built and designed with a primary focus on the users. Quique uses photography as an active tool to explore architecture and the reality around us.
Paola Bornaschella

Paola Bornaschella

Architect - Design Director - paola@augnorge.org
Paola holds a master’s degree in architecture from the Faculty of Architecture, Design, and Urbanism at the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina. Paola has a solid experience in architectural design across all phases and scales—from small private buildings to large, complex projects such as masterplans, healthcare facilities, and multifunctional buildings. Paola is a founder, the current design director, and board member of AUG. She is passionate about social architecture. Guided by the belief that architecture is a powerful tool for social change, she advocates for inclusive design that fosters safety, dignity, and equal opportunity—especially in communities where it's needed most.
Jon Rønning

Jon Rønning

Civil Engeneer - Engineer Consultant
Jon Rønning is an architect, engineering consultant, and visual artist with over three decades of experience spanning complex infrastructure and development projects across Europe and Asia. His work has ranged from North Sea oil and gas developments to post-conflict airport reconstruction in the Balkans and international collaboration on radioactive waste management in Northwest Russia.What truly defines Jon’s career, however, is his unwavering commitment to social responsibility and global solidarity. Whether advising Mongolian authorities on the humane integration of 600,000 nomads into urban life or empowering youth through direct involvement in rebuilding efforts in Serbia, Jon consistently puts people at the center of his practice. His values—grounded in mutual growth and meaningful dialogue—shine through in all his engagements.Jon is also a passionate artist whose aquarelles capture everyday moments and global narratives alike, reflecting the same empathy and curiosity that drive his architectural and humanitarian work.As a long-time collaborator with Arkitekter Uten Grenser (AUG), Jon brings both technical expertise and a deep sense of humanitarian purpose, believing that architecture and infrastructure must serve dignity, equality, and opportunity.
Camilo Calderon

Camilo Calderon

Architect
Amanda Lyngesen

Amanda Lyngesen

Architect - Project Achitect

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