Making Bricks for the School

Bricks for the school As their contribution to the development effort the villagers had agreed to provide the bricks and their labor to the construction of the school. In Madagascar bricks, provided clay is available, are often locally made by specialized brick makers.

The clay needs to be dug from a clay pit and each brick is made by hand in a wooden mold. Lined up and dried in the sun the bricks are then piled up in larger structures and slowly burned (either with wood or peat moss). The process of burning can take up to a week or two, depending on the amount of bricks and the weather. Burned clay bricks are more durable and resistant to rain than rammed earth bricks, are easier to maintain and are better suited for the school.

The bricks for the school should be ready in 15 days around August 25, 2006. The building of the school will start the last week of August and the school should be finished and ready to use in September 2006. In the past few weeks there was too much rain and the villagers werent able to make the bricks. Every time it rains they have to interrupt making the clay blocks, since they need to be dried in the sun before they can be burned.

The clay pit is located close to some rice paddies, where the best clay can be found. (All Fotos: Ramihantaniarivo 2006)

The clay has to be mixed (stomped with the feet) with water to the right consistency

In wooden molds each brick is shaped by hand and then dried in the sun.

Drying the bricks in the sun3 Drying the bricks in the sun4

Pictures of the finished school click here

As their contribution to the development effort the villagers had agreed to provide the bricks and their labor to the construction of the school. In Madagascar bricks, provided clay is available, are often locally made by specialized brick makers.

Bricks making area Bricks making area2

The clay pit is located close to some rice paddies, where the best clay can be found. (All Fotos: Ramihantaniarivo 2006)

Girl Stomping clay fro bricks

The clay has to be mixed (stomped with the feet) with water to the right consistency

Shaping bricks Shaping bricks in wooden mold

In wooden molds each brick is shaped by hand and then dried in the sun.

Drying the bricks in the sun Drying the bricks in the sun2

Drying the bricks in the sun3 Drying the bricks in the sun4

Pictures of the finished school click here

More School Links

Building our schools:

Building a second school (2009)
Inaugurating the community built school (Mar 2010)
Photos of the almost finished school (Jan. 2010)
The Community is building their school (Sept 2009)

Building the first school (2006)

The first school in Fiadanana (2006)
Photos of Fiadananas new school being built (2005/6)
Making bricks to build the school
Analysis of the need for a school (2005)