Building African University

Hear about our trip to Tali live and in person!

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 17:14:00 GMT

Dr. William Agbor-Baiyee and Sarah Hempstead—two of the seven people from Indianapolis who made the trip to Tali in December—will be the guest speakers at ... Indianapolis Rotary ClubTuesday, July 19 at NoonScottish Rite Cathedral650 N. Meridian StreetIndianapolis, Indiana The presentation will highlight the vision of African University, and will give you a flavor of their exhilarating and challenging visit to the remote rainforest that will be African University’s home. Guests are welcome at the Indianapolis Rotary Club presentation. You can choose the soup and salad buffet for $13 or the full buffet for $15. To make a reservation (preferably by Friday, July 15) call 317.631.3733 or email dsedberry@indyrotary.org.

Leadership Excerpt - March Issue

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 21:50:00 GMT

Leadership Excerpt - February Issue

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 21:43:00 GMT

Leadership Excerpt - January Issue

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 21:24:00 GMT

Days 9-10 Homeward Bound

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 19:05:00 GMT

"Home, where my thought's escaping Home, where my music's playing Home where my love lies waiting Silently for me" Paul Simon Today is the day to go home, but the plane doesn't leave until midnight, so we get the day to enjoy the scenery, buy some much requested souvenirs for loved ones, and in general, to bum around Doula. After some minor delays, we said a final goodbye to our much loved Chariot hotel and headed for Doula. Mid afternoon, we found a great little market full of perfect souvenirs and loaded up on jewelry, soccer gear, paintings, etc. Elizabeth started as our negotiations coach, but, after quickly deciding that we were hopeless, she took over the haggling for us. We love Eli! When we were all shopped out, we found a lovely restaurant on the coast and watched the sunset while eating perfectly prepared fire grilled fish, shrimp, and french fries. It was the best meal on the trip, and when we were happy, full, and peaceful, we headed for the airport. Happily, there is not much more to tell. You want your +/- 30 hours of flights and travel, as well as your journey through customs, to be uneventful. Excepting a few security scares (we thought Wayne might have to stay in Cameroon), we arrived in Indianapolis where our wonderful spouses, children, grandchildren, etc. were waiting. Bless them—they were happy to see us in spite of our tired, filthy, and bedraggled state—and we were overjoyed to see them. Stay tuned as we process our adventure and move forward to build African University!

Day 8 - The Embassy

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 15:03:00 GMT

Day 7 - Partners and Friends

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 21:17:00 GMT

Day 6 - Travel back to Buea

Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:06:00 GMT

Good news! The suspension on one of our cars has been fixed. Bad news, our spare tire has been used, and we now have a flat as a spare. I hope we don't get another flat tire. Today, our quest was simply to journey from Tali to Buea. In the end, we prevailed, although several exciting moments consumed portions of the day. The major exciting moment was when we approached a quagmire in the road. A video is posted on the previous post. Our talented drivers got us through the mud hole and back to making progress. By 7 pm, we had arrived in Buea at the Chariot Hotel. The hotel was paradise for us since we had spent several days in the bush. Each of us also had our 'private' space back. Many of us had been sharing living quarters while in Tali. We are looking forward to our final days in Cameroon.

Videos

Thu, 06 Jan 2011 21:57:00 GMT

Between each of the presentations by Corrie, Cathy, and Sarah, the African women performed a song that responded to our topics. This is a video of the 'Right-of-Passage' cultural event we observed, as noted in the previous post. This is the quagmire our drivers are studying to determine if we can make it through. 2 choices: Turn around and drive 6 hours back to the origination and travel the road we arrived on instead. Drive through it "When you arrive to a place like this in the road, you for sure know you will be sleeping there." - The Reverend We made it through!!

Photos Day 5- It's all about the People

Thu, 06 Jan 2011 14:03:00 GMT

Photos Day 4

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 15:13:00 GMT

Photos Day 3

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 20:22:00 GMT

Photos Day 2

Sun, 12 Dec 2010 14:41:00 GMT

Where's the car? At the start of our second full day in Cameroon, we were all very excited to be heading into "The Bush" to get started at the African University site. As our luck would have it, a new tire was required on one of our vehicles, and supplies for our stay had to be acquired. Our early morning departure became an afternoon departure instead. University de Chang Along the way to Tali (location of African U.), we stopped in Dschang and quickly toured the University de Chang (pronounced Chan). This was in a more agrarian setting than the University of Buea and was split almost in two - one campus on the top of the hill and one campus in the valley below. We ate in Dschang and got back on the "road". Palm Plantation We all knew that this was going to be a brutal travel day and that we would be in the car for 10 hours, but we had no idea of what was to come. The first few hours after Dschang were on red dirt roads. The dust from the car in front made visibility for the trailing car very difficult. Especially at night. The last stretch (last 3 hours) was spent on very treacherous roads that our drivers needed everything out of the 4x4's to navigate. Cameroon! We arrived in Tali around midnight and were greeted by the local Reverend. Both the men and women were shown to their accommodations, and we all got to experience "off the grid" for the first time. University de Chang Harvesting Rubber

Photos from Day 1

Sun, 12 Dec 2010 13:29:00 GMT

Building on the numbers ...

Sat, 11 Dec 2010 18:13:00 GMT

It took us 10 hours to get to the bush. 7 people now in the car. 2 dead chickens on the roof. 1 gorilla heard in the bush making calls and thumping his chest. 2 full days in the bush. 2 buildings staked. Miles walked - who knows. 1 stream driven through + 1 mud pit. Number of palaces available for the women to sleep in - 1 Number of beds the women (3 of us) slept in - 1 Number of homes being renovated available for the men to sleep in - 1 1 cultural event, possibly 1 additional dead chicken after that 1 bucket available to bathe in for 1 man 1 shower available for the women Snails eaten - 4 1 women's forum - 100+ women in attendance from 20+ villages. 1 5' snake along the road. Dead, for sale. Celebration drinks to be consumed - TBD Amazing, generous people - countless 3 days left in Africa, lots of work still to do. Having a great time and making progress for African University!

African Trip- By the Numbers

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 06:48:00 GMT

Total Travel Time - Indpls to Buea = 28 Hours Total Miles Traveled = 11,500 Miles Number of Loose Chickens in Airport = 1 (that we saw anyway) Number of Bags that Arrived with Us = 6 out of 14 Dolly Parton/Kenny Roger Songs on the Radio = Too Many Fantas Consumed by Group = 7 Cow Tail Eaten = 2 Cow Tails Regretted = 1 Phones Working with International Plan = 1.5 Universities Toured (University of Buea) = 1 Hours Anticipated to Reach Rain Forest Today = 8 or more Number of People per Car = 5 or more Exchange Rate = 430 CFA's per $1, (official location) 470 CFA's per $1, (guy in airport) Average Hours Slept per Night = 3.5 or less Average Temperature so Far = 85F (but now we head to the hot spot) Number of Trips to the Airport = 3 Number of Snakes per Square Mile = Virtually Unlimited (Wayne has snake proof socks) Anticipated Days until Another Internet Connection = +/- 4

Sat, 04 Dec 2010 23:53:00 GMT

We made it through airport security and to Atlanta. Only a few bumps. We had our bags searched, bodies patted down, one name changed, and deodorant confiscated. We each checked two bags and each have two carry on bags. It would be interesting to know our team's weight percentage of the total. This is the beginning of a long journey. We arrive in Douala tomorrow evening. Keeping you posted ...

All Aboard!

Sat, 04 Dec 2010 04:13:00 GMT

Ready or not, here we go! I just finished packing the majority of my stuff and I feel a lot better. I'm sure I will have forgotten at least one major thing, but what can you do? There are Targets in Cameroon, right? I will be so relived to get this trip underway. The anticipation has been building for months now and the last week has been particularly hectic. With all the stress of the holidays on top of the stress of preparing for a major trip such as this, just sitting down on the plane will be a relief. If you had told me a year ago that I'd be going to Cameroon for a project, I would never have believed you. Yet here I am. This project (and this trip) is such an incredible opportunity. Establishing a new university in a place where higher education is a privilege shared by too few, will be a great experience for us all. I am really looking forward to being in a new culture and a new environment. Traveling always seems to give me a clearer sense of perspective. It is easy to get caught up in my day to day life, but traveling reminds me just how big the world really is and that my problems are just a speck of dust in the grand scheme of things. As a designer, I am really looking forward to being influenced by a new culture and seeing what Cameroon architecture is all about. Just going to soak it all in. Wish us luck in our travels!

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 18:14:00 GMT

We are leaving tomorrow afternoon. I am testing this post from my phone. We have one suitcase packed full of drawings, charrette tools, electrical converters. Right now it weighs 42.8 pounds. Personally, I have not packed yet. I will be sure to pack a rubber snake since Wayne is fearful that we will run into snakes in the jungle. The area is known for it's snakes and leopards! I will post tomorrow to share our experience of getting through airport security.

Preparing for the trip

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 15:58:00 GMT

We have been steadily preparing for this trip over the past 3 months and it is now fast approaching. In 2 days, we will be aboard a flight headed to Atlanta - Paris - Douala, Cameroon. What have we been doing to prepare? Good question. Our packing list includes everything from malaria pills to drawing markers. We have filled one entire suitcase with our supplies (markers, measurement tools, solar chargers, electricity converters, and so on) for the trip. Individually, we are packing clothes for 3 different types of occasions: field work in the jungle, meetings with diplomats, and travel days. Yesterday, Martin purchased the book "Indianapolis Then and Now" as a gift for our host. Rain gear for our trip was just delivered to the office. We are continually scratching things off our list as they get delivered. All of us have gotten medical shots. Today, some of us started taking diarrhea pills, and tomorrow all of us will begin taking malaria pills. We have purchased travelers insurance, and have informed our medical insurance that we will be traveling abroad. I don't think any of us have packed yet. Most likely, we will be crossing the last items off our list on Saturday morning. We fly out at 5 pm.

Self Sustaining

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 18:14:00 GMT

Seldom, do we have the opportunity to design facilities that are completely self sustaining and/or 'off the grid.' The site for African University is located in the middle of a rain forest. Access to the site is currently via a footpath (as shown to the left). Existing resources to support a university campus are non-existent. Therefore, the African University facilities need to serve as a premiere example of how sustainable design and construction can be implemented. Sustainability is a broad term. For us, sustainable means designing a facility that will endure time and consume minimal resources. Our team plans to implement sustainable construction methods via the building system design and site development. Building systems include the materials of the structure, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. Preliminary ideas for these systems include the use of rain barrels, solar panels, wind turbines, large fan systems, and standby diesel generators. Sustainable design will focus on selecting local building materials, conserving land and other natural resources, installing energy efficient materials, developing a responsible operations plan, and educating the community. Knowing the extent of what materials are available and current construction methods are one of the goals of the trip ... which begins in only 6 days!

The Team

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 18:31:00 GMT

Trip Goals

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 16:10:00 GMT

Overall GoalsUnveil the African University Master Plan.Unveil the African University Site Plan.Discuss opportunities for engaging and mobilizing community members to promote the realizations of African University.Release outcomes of the Tali Area Community Development Study.Walk away with marketing images and relationships for fundraising.Design Team Goals Confirm the site location with GPS coordinates.Establish the location of the 1 sq. mi. University footprint in the 6.5 sq. mi. area.Understand construction methods and materials.Understand education and living space standards.Establish a design aesthetic for the campus buildings.Understand how this campus’ infrastructure can be self-sustaining.Stake outlines of the proposed footprints of Phase 1 buildings (the Faculty Housing Facility, Student Housing Facility, and Academic/ Community Building).

The Itinerary

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 17:52:00 GMT

Saturday, December 4, 20105:00 pm - leave Indianapolis - flight route is Atlanta to ParisSunday, December 5 (now a 5-hour time difference)1:45 pm - leave Paris for Douala, Cameroon8:15 pm - arrive in DoualaStaying at Chariot Hotel in Buea, South West Region, CameroonMonday, December 6Brief visit at the Baiyee Family Home in MutengeneDepart for TaliStaying at a residence in Tali (5 nights)Tuesday, December 7Presentation of planning documents and community study outcomes to the Tali I Traditional CouncilWednesday, December 8Visit the campus site via the Mpomba footpathVisit the campus site via Bara RoadField work on siteSarah, Corrie, and Kathy present to women of the region about being a woman who is educated, professional, and a leader Thursday, December 9Field work at the African University siteFriday, December 10Field work at the African University siteCultural event and celebrationSaturday, December 11Depart Tali for BueaVisit the University of BueaMeet with local contractorsMeet with the African University Planning BoardVisit His Excellency Enow Tanjong's residence in BueaSunday, December 12Visit Rotary Club of LimbeLunch at the Baiyee Family Home in MutengeneDepart Mutengene to Yaounde, Center Region, CameroonMonday, December 1310:00 am - audience with the United State Ambassador to Cameroon, His Excellency Robert P. Jackson in YaoundeDepart Yaounde to BueaStaying at Chariot Hotel in BueaTuesday, December 1411:30 am - depart Cameroon for ParisWednesday, December 1510:50 am - depart Paris for Minneapolis5:49 pm - arrive in Indianapolis

Project Background—Building the Foundation

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 18:08:00 GMT

For several years, the African University Foundation has been formulating ideas, relationships, and plans to develop African University near the small village of Tali in Cameroon, Africa. Earlier this year, Schmidt Associates was selected to create a campus master plan for the new university. The private, non-profit university campus will provide excellence in education by: Providing excellent spaces for higher education and life-long learning Showcasing and living by the principles of sustainability, as well as the values of integrity, creativity, and excellence Being a premiere example of conservation Planning for a coherent and beautiful campus that respects the contextual environment The 50-year Campus Master Plan preserves and reinforces the surrounding rain forest environment, develops and maintains a cohesive campus landscape, and sets the framework for future development in an orderly fashion.