Building from the ground up

Title Deed - COMPLETED!

The critical first step is to obtain a title deed for the land for the campus. The Tanzanian government has offered to donate the 102 acre site we have chosen to build the campus on to our organization. However, a local family has been using this land for farming and grazing their livestock for some time. In accordance with Tanzanian law, we need to compensate them for the use of the land before ownership can be transferred to our organization. With the assistance of the District Commissioner of Same and local community leaders, we have agreed with the family to pay a total of US $25,000, roughly $250 per acre. While still a considerable amount of money, this is less than what we would have to pay if we were purchasing land from private owners. Talking with other NGOs in the area, land in and around Same sells for between $2,000 and $12,000 an acre.

We also need to hire land surveyors to mark the property boundaries of the site and submit the necessary documentation to the Same District Land Office. Once this has been done and the family has been compensated in full, we will receive a title deed. The costs associated with this process amount to US $1,500.

Scope of work:

  • Compensation for 102 acre site - $25,000
  • Survey property boundary and submit documents for title deed - $1,500

Estimated Cost: US $26,500

Phase I

With the title deed secured, we will can begin construction. We will start by establishing a small 2 acre compound on site to house of our first permanent presence on the ground in the region. From this facility we will oversee the construction of the first phases of the campus and launch our other planned programs and activities. This compound will include several small buildings to use as offices, workshops and storage facilities as well as for housing volunteers and staff. Since the site is an open field and utilities such as water and electricity in the area are very limited, we will also need to drill a well, build a basic water system and install solar power grid for this facility.

Our designs for the future campus buildings utilize new ideas and concepts to create safer, healthier, more efficient and vibrant environments. We will incorporate these same ideas and concepts in the design and construction of these initial buildings to give us an opportunity to evaluate their impact and make changes if needed. This will also give us much more reliable construction cost information allowing us to refine our estimated project budget.

Scope of work:

  • Clear a 2 acre portion of the 102 acre site
  • Install security fence and gate around 2 acres
  • Drill 1 borehole and install pump, pipes, filter system and tanks
  • Build cluster of 4 classroom buildings and 4 residential buildings
  • Install solar power system
  • Landscape 2 acre portion to control erosion

Phase II

In this phase we will build the necessary facilities and infrastructure to open the first two schools of the Same Polytechnic and house the first intake of 250 students. These first two schools to open will be the School of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (SAFES) and the School of Building Science and Construction Technology (SBSCT). Opening these two schools first is a strategic decision aimed at reducing costs and generating revenue. Utilizing the ‘learn by doing’ approach, unused land will be farmed by students and faculty in the SAFES to bring in additional revenue from the sale and use of the harvested crops. Similarly, students and faculty in the SBSCT will help build future phases of the campus, gaining valuable practical experience and reducing construction costs.

Phase III

The campus will expand to open the School of Education, The School of Business Management, and the School of Automotive and Mechanical Technology. More housing will be built to accommodate an additional 250 resident students bringing the total campus capacity to 500.

Phase IV

The final two schools of the college, the School of Tourism and Hospitality, and the School of Social Sciences will be built along with housing for a further 250 resident students.

Phase V

In the final phase, the housing facilities will be expanded to reach the full planned capacity of 1,000 resident students.