Gambella Anglican Center

Gambella, Ethiopia​

Project Size
20,000m2 Site

Major Components
Church
Library
Classrooms
Staff Housing & Dorms

Services
Master Planning
Programming
Architectural
Structural Concept
Water Distribution/Storage
Wastewater Treatment
Electrical Distribution

Located in Gambella, Ethiopia, the Anglican Ministry Center is home to the local Bishop and also provides relief and training for the local and surrounding regions. This Anglican region includes Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea, and Djibouti. Many of the people in this region suffer from extreme poverty and ethnic divisions that have led to many wars, leaving many homeless. The vision of the center is to empower local leaders, through various kinds of training, to go back into their communities and re-teach what they have learned. The center is carrying out this vision in a number of ways that meet both the spiritual and physical needs of the community.
 
A local congregation of about 200 people currently meets on the site, but has outgrown their current building capacity. The Anglican Center wishes to expand its services to provide theological training for the many untrained pastors in this region. The vision is to offer training for 10-20 students in a two year program. A large church for at least 500 people is also needed as the current facility has become inadequate. The church could also be used for large area assembly meetings. The centers water and power systems also need to be updated as city supplies are randomly turned off, sometimes for weeks or months at a time. Solar power and biogas are probable solutions. A stone and masonry wall surrounding the compound is also planned for greater security. The wall will also be used to demonstrate vertical gardening techniques as well as provide community gardening space and supplement those living on site with some fresh nourishing food.