Building communities, not just classrooms
PATRIZIA Foundation Chairwoman of the Board Astrid Gabler shares details of two projects in Bangladesh and Kenya, which are not only boosting education infrastructure, but advancing communities in the respective local areas.
Building and strengthening resilient communities requires more than charitable intent. It demands sustainable business models, professional partnerships and a focus on long-term social returns.
This principle is at the heart of two PATRIZIA Foundation projects in Bangladesh and Kenya.
Mymensingh: Breaking cycles of poverty
With more than 40 million people living below the poverty line, Bangladesh remains one of the poorest countries in the world. In Mymensingh − a city some 95 miles north of the capital Dhaka − children from the poorest families often lack access to early education. Mothers, frequently the sole providers while fathers are absent due to alcoholism or substance abuse, are forced to leave their children unattended while they work. Elder sisters stay home to care for siblings, forfeiting their own schooling. The result: poverty passes from one generation to the next.
The PATRIZIA Child Care Mymensingh, developed in partnership with MATI Bangladesh and MATI e.V., has responded with a holistic model: the five-storey multipurpose building hosts a daycare centre for up to 100 children aged 18 months to six years. At least 30% of these children have learning difficulties, and 20% are from marginalised groups such as Dalits families. Thanks to the high-quality childcare now available, mothers gain the freedom to earn an income and improve the living conditions of their families. At the same time, older children also benefit: around 40 elder sisters can return to school and continue their own education instead of having to care for younger siblings. The building also accommodates a health clinic that reaches some 500 families; mother-and-child courses for 100 women; and a cooperative shop where 160 women market their products. Ten local women are employed and trained as professional educators, with special emphasis on the ‘Essence of Learning’ concept which takes into account deficits from growing up in extreme poverty and promotes the children’s development in a playful way.
Sustainability through partnerships
The operating cost of the building is designed to be financed through rental income from three apartments, a training centre, a health clinic, and a community shop. With 25 years of operational support from the PATRIZIA Foundation and the expertise of its local partner MATI Bangladesh, the project aims for long-term sustainability and impact.
However, a critical need remains: while the PATRIZIA Foundation has pre-financed the daycare project due to the urgency of the situation, sustainable operation requires substantial additional funding and the support of strong partners. Only through such seed funding can the local partner’s long-term business model be secured, ensuring that the building continues to serve as a hub for education, healthcare and women’s empowerment.
A call for support
What makes this project truly remarkable is its ripple effect. It does not stop at providing a safe place for children to learn and grow – the multi-layered approach empowers elder sisters to return to school, enables mothers to secure livelihoods, strengthens family health, and creates new income opportunities for women in the community.
Yet, to unlock the full potential of this model and guarantee its future, start-up financing is essential. The PATRIZIA Foundation calls on committed partners to join forces and help secure the financing needed to transform this initiative into a sustainable business concept. With the right partner, the PATRIZIA Child Care Mymensingh can become a catalyst for breaking cycles of poverty and building resilient communities for generations to come.
If you would like to become our partner in this worthwhile task and help us shape the future together, please contact me via: Astrid.Gabler@patrizia.foundation
For more information about the project, visit: https://www.patrizia.foundation/en/project/patrizia-child-care-mymensingh/
Syangeni: Expanding horizons
In Kenya’s Kitui region, the PATRIZIA School Syangeni, which opened in 2017, has since been offering education to 150 children, many of whom travel long distances every day. Despite these difficult conditions, the school has maintained a high quality of education in order to give the students the best possible foundation for a self-determined path out of poverty.
In line with this aim, this month (October 2025), the PATRIZIA Foundation will open new dormitories for 100 students, as well as apartments for teachers. These buildings also have a rainwater tank, an irrigation pond and solar panels to ensure reliable water and power supplies, and thereby reduce long-term costs. A computer lab will prepare students for a digital future.
What makes the construction in Syangeni unique is the use of the innovative TwistBlock system, with the blocks produced locally by the non-profit organization Start Somewhere, adding value in developing communities. TwistBlocks offer significant advantages, including faster construction and lower costs due to their mortar-free, interlocking design. They are also reusable, and their modular nature allows for flexible floor plans. Parents and community members are directly involved in the building process, gaining both income and valuable skills in modern construction techniques.
As a result, the project delivers much more than just new infrastructure and better access to education, as well as providing teachers with better working conditions; it also strengthens the local workforce and community capacity. With renewable energy and efficient infrastructure helping to reduce long-term operating costs, the project lays the foundation for a truly sustainable school model that will benefit the entire region.
Equally remarkable is the breadth of collaboration driving this project. PERI SE serves as the main sponsor, complemented by the support of Greenthesis Group and Taurus Systems GmbH. On the ground, Welthungerhilfe provides technical coordination, while Start Somewhere contributes its expertise in innovative construction materials. The Kenyan Ministry of Education ensures alignment with national priorities. At the centre, the PATRIZIA Foundation orchestrates this multi-stakeholder partnership, uniting private companies, non-profits and government actors into a single, purpose-driven alliance.
As Chairwoman of the Board at the PATRIZIA Foundation, I firmly believe that when innovation, strong partnerships and community come together, a school becomes more than a place of learning – it becomes a model for sustainable change.
Building community capacity
Both projects take a professional, business-like approach to philanthropy, involving targeted interventions with measurable impact that are underpinned by sustainable financing and local capacity building. In Mymensingh, an integrated childcare and community centre is breaking intergenerational cycles of poverty. In Syangeni, a school has become a beacon of resilience and communal capacity building.
Together, they demonstrate how investments in education can build communities, not just classrooms.