Meet Caleb Mwaura, a final-year student with a passion for architecture and a heart for community development. Caleb joined the Moja Tu family in 2016 with the support of his sponsor, Samuel Halloum, who has been instrumental in his journey. His academic career has been fueled by a deep fascination with the built environment and a strong desire to leave a lasting, positive impact through sustainable design. Caleb shares his experiences, challenges, and aspirations as an architecture student.
“I’ve always been intrigued by how spaces influence human interaction, and I wanted to contribute to shaping these spaces,” he shares. From a young age, Caleb was drawn to art and design, and architecture offered the perfect blend of creativity and practicality. “The ability to bring a concept to life, from sketches to fully realized structures, is what truly inspired me to pursue this field.”
He speaks highly of Moja Tu’s transformative impact on his life. “Moja Tu provided the support system I needed to focus on my studies without worrying about financial constraints,” he explains. Beyond academics, the organization has fostered his personal growth, instilling values of hard work, responsibility, and giving back to the community. The relationships he’s built through Moja Tu have shaped his leadership and collaboration skills, preparing him for professional and personal challenges.
Caleb’s top interests are sustainable architecture and minimalistic design. “Sustainable architecture excites me because it offers the chance to innovate while considering environmental impacts,” he explains. He is fascinated by how buildings can reduce energy consumption, minimize waste, and contribute to a healthier planet. Minimalistic design appeals to his love for simplicity, showing how impactful spaces can be created using fewer elements.
One of Caleb’s proudest accomplishments was facilitating the building of a farmhouse for a Moja Tu alumni – Kelvin Mwirigi. “I was so honored that Moja Tu entrusted me with the responsibility to facilitate the building of Mwirigi’s farmhouse – it was a small one-bedroom house made of iron sheets and insulated for thermal efficiency. The project was completed successfully through careful planning, problem-solving, and collaboration,” he says, adding that the project taught him valuable lessons such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and teamwork that will serve him well in his future career.
Caleb aspires to specialize in sustainable architecture and community-focused design. “I want to create spaces that not only look beautiful but also contribute to environmental sustainability and improve the quality of life for the people who use them,” he explains. His long-term goal is to address housing and infrastructure needs in underprivileged communities, using his architectural skills to make a meaningful difference.
In the next five to 10 years, Caleb aims to establish his own architectural firm specializing in sustainable design. On a personal level, he hopes to continue growing, learning, and contributing to causes he’s passionate about, like community development and environmental sustainability. “I also plan to mentor young architects, just as I have been mentored,” he adds.
As he steps into the next phase of his career, it’s clear that his architectural vision and commitment to sustainability will leave a lasting legacy and we are here for it!