COMPETITION // Senegal Secondary School: A Competition to Fight Dropout Rates in Rural Africa

Archstorming and the NGO Let’s Build My School (LBMS) launche a new humanitarian architecture competition about a Senegal Secondary School, to rethink education through earth construction and innovation. 

In rural Senegal, thousands of children are forced to abandon school after completing primary education due to the absence of secondary schools. This is the case in Djilakh, a village of over 4,000 people with two primary schools but no secondary school—resulting in alarmingly high dropout rates, especially among girls.

To address this urgent need, Archstorming and the NGO Let’s Build My School (LBMS) have launched the Senegal Secondary School competition, inviting architects and students to design a flexible, sustainable, and replicable secondary school in Djilakh—one that can also become a reference model for future construction in the region. The project will accommodate 160 students with new classrooms, a multipurpose space, restrooms, and an agricultural area.

Participants are encouraged to use earth-based construction techniques and propose innovative roofing solutions that enhance thermal comfort and can be replicated across the region. 

This vision builds on the success of Archstorming’s first collaboration with Let’s Build My School (LBMS): the Sambou Toura Drame School, completed in 2022, which not only improved access to education, but also boosted the local economy and revolutionized building practices in the area.

Awards

1st Prize: €6,000 + Construction

2nd Prize: €2,000

3rd Prize: €1,000

Special Mentions: €500 each

10 Honorable Mentions

All finalist projects will be featured on international architecture platforms and social media. All participants will receive a digital certificate.

Key Dates

Early registration: Sept 23 – Oct 29

Regular registration: Oct 30 – Dec 3

Advanced registration: Dec 4 – Jan 7

Last call: Jan 8 – Feb 4

Submission deadline: Feb 4, 2026

Winners announced: Feb 26, 2026

If you believe architecture can change lives, this is your chance to make an impact.

Registrations are now open here!  Early registration fee available for a limited time!