Schools for the Children of the World (SCW) was founded by Bill DeJong and Chuck Newman, AIA, more than 12 years ago to help improve educational opportunities in under-developed countries by working with local communities to develop quality school facilities. The goal is to help community members design and build a school, empowering them to use the experience to make further improvements to their community and the surrounding region. The communities generally provide the land, volunteer labor, and local materials. SCW contributes planning and design assistance along with financial support for materials and an experienced contractor. Schools for the Children of the World currently has more than two dozen active school projects in 9 different developing nations in Central and South America, Africa, and India. You can read more on their website about the group: http://www.schoolsforchildren.org/

Co-Founder Chuck Newman was recognized by AIArchitect for his philanthropic work last year. http://info.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek09/0320/0320dp.cfm

Dan Mader, who is a member of the AIA Indiana legislative committee, is also on the board of directors for Schools for the Children of the World. Following the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti, SCW teamed up with the Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI) and developed a task force to help with school reconstruction efforts in Haiti. In partnership with the Spanish Red Cross, CEFPI/SCW teams are helping Haitian communities to rebuild and renovate their damaged school buildings. The first 11 projects are centered in Léogâne, one of the most badly affected areas of Haiti. Volunteers from SCW/CEFPI have already made three trips to Haiti to help create the framework for the rebuilding of schools. SCW and CEFPI are currently looking for architectural and engineering firms in the United States to provide design assistance for the rebuilding of schools in Haiti. The typical school includes six to eight classrooms, although some are smaller and some are much larger. The volunteer firm would be expected to make three trips to Haiti, one during the design phase, one during construction, and one at the completion of the new school. The cost of each individual traveling to Haiti is expected to be about $1800 per trip including airfare, accommodations, and travel in Haiti. The SCW/CEFPI task force would provide assistance regarding travel logistics, accommodations in Haiti, and connections to the schools and community. The design would need to be taken through a design development level at which time it could be transferred to a Haitian architect or engineer for the completion of construction documents, bidding, and construction. The Spanish Red Cross is providing financial support to cover some of the construction costs for the first 11 schools in Léogâne. Anyone interested in becoming involved can go to the SCW/CEFPI Haiti Relief Task Force website to learn more.

http://sites.google.com/site/haitischools/