The idea to create a nonprofit began when we were living in hammocks, bunkbed style underneath a rain tarp in Hawaii, working as caretakers on a property, learning about building domes. One of us was working remotely as an international social worker, and the other, a natural building instructor getting their dome teaching certificate.

The conversation started when we noticed none of the indigenous community attending the workshops but instead the trainings were being filled by non-native folks flying onto the island. Then, we saw as some people got skin burns or became sick from exposure to certain toxic building materials. And, it was there that we gained more understanding about the harmful effects caused by runoff from build sites where the chemicals seep into the soil and disrupt the local ecosystems. This was also at the same time, that we met two key members of our team that heavily impacted how this organization came to be. We were following our curiosity, having the conversations, connecting with our people - the seed of starting something big was being planted. 

We continued to collect information back on the mainland, going deeper into our study of natural building techniques - learning from earth builders, architects, and off-grid communities. Embracing a nomadic lifestyle, we lived in our RV, working in different communities, landscapes, and climates, continuing to explore natural, alternative solutions.

Before committing to becoming an official nonprofit, we wanted to put ourselves to the test. One of our founders reached out to an old contact at Caritas Zambia where she had completed her field research in graduate school, to see about partnering up on a community development project. They were interested in our proposal! And agreed to collaborate with us, inviting us to come lead a superadobe dome training on Mantapala Refugee Settlement. So, we started a fundraiser and raised $4,000, we printed a few t-shirts, got a few friends to join and we flew off to Zambia to host our first training. 

The participant group was made up of people who were mostly refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Many were skilled builders and brick makers, but had never seen a dome or had been taught the strength of a round roof. In fact, one of our first observations in the community was of the, almost shocking, number of homes without a roof. It was surprising to learn that many of the participants did not know of any cost-effective roofing options beyond expensive tin or unreliable thatched roofs, which tend to leak during the monsoon season. It was also interesting to learn that no one had ever been taught about the toxic chemicals in the cement they had always used.

As we built together with this community, out in the middle of the African bush, exchanging knowledge and sharing our cultures with each other, we realized just how powerful the impact of passing on knowledge across cultures was.

"No one ever comes here. We are forgotten people. But you did, and you came back with others to help us. Thank you, we are your brothers and sisters now". 

I guess you could say, that experience stuck with us and so, here we are, officially - Nomadic Earth Architecture.