Building Schools With Pixie Sticks

 
The poles look like giant "pixie sticks".  But they are building materials.  They are the sticks in the 'mud and stick' building construction used in rural Congo.  This method is used to build houses and classrooms. 

Congolese men cut small trees for support beams.  Typically, the roof is built upon the stick supports.  Here, the roof survived a wind storm but the stick and mud walls were destroyed. 

Stronger walls are needed.  Either more sticks (small trees) are required.  Or the real solution is milled lumber from bigger trees.