No. As stated in the competition terms, the registration fee is a donation to the Balouo Salo humanitarian organization and is non-refundable under any circumstances. The fee is immediately allocated to charitable projects in Africa. This applies regardless of whether you withdraw, are disqualified, or are not selected as a winner.

Yes. PayPal is the primary and recommended payment method. If your country does not support PayPal, or your card is being declined, write to info@kairalooro.com to request an alternative method such as bank transfer or Stripe.

The deadlines are listed on the Calendar page and in the competition brief. No extensions are granted. All projects submitted after the final deadline will not be considered. We strongly recommend uploading your project well before the last day to avoid server overload.

Projects must be submitted exclusively through the Project Submission Form that the Team Leader receives in the registration confirmation email. This form ensures correct file storage and compliance with competition rules. Do not send your project by email.

After registration, the Team Leader will receive an email with instructions on how to create your Team ID. This ID must be used to rename your files and submitted through the Project Submission Form. Do not send your Team ID by email. Follow the guided procedure in the submission form carefully.

Files must be named exactly as specified in the brief and submission form. Use your Team ID. For example, if your Team ID is 123456, the A1 file should be named A1_123456. The same convention applies to all required files. Incorrectly named files will result in exclusion.

No. Including your Team ID or any identifying marks on the cover or A1 layouts will result in exclusion of the project. The Team ID should only be used to rename the files before submission. The evaluation is anonymous.

The additional materials are sent to the Team Leader's email after registration. Files are compressed in a RAR archive. You can extract them using free software like WinRAR (download here) or WinZip. Once extracted, you'll have access to all competition materials.

The Team ID is a unique alphanumeric code assigned to your team upon registration. It is sent to the Team Leader via email after payment is confirmed.

Important: The Team ID has only one purpose — it must be used to rename your submission files before uploading. It serves as the only link between your team and your project, ensuring the evaluation process remains 100% anonymous.All detailed instructions will be sent in the registration confirmation email. Read them carefully before submitting.

Interior area (max 600 m²): includes all enclosed, covered spaces — mandatory functional areas, internal circulation, corridors, technical rooms, storage, and restrooms.

Exterior area (max 400 m²): includes all external or semi-open spaces — courtyards, gardens, gathering areas, verandas, porticos, pergolas, both paved and green.

Total project area (interior + exterior) must not exceed 1,000 m². Exceeding these limits will result in exclusion.

Yes. The outdoor area may be fully open or include covered elements such as porticos, verandas, or pergolas. Regardless of whether these spaces are covered or uncovered, they must be included within the maximum exterior limit of 400 m².

The competition does not require a predefined plot. You may envision your architecture in any rural area of southern Senegal — urban centers and regional capitals are excluded. There is no territorial constraint. Site planning and boundary definitions are not required. The choice of site does not affect evaluation, as long as the brief conditions are respected.

A rural area is defined as a settlement without major urban centers of more than 15,000 inhabitants. Rural villages in southern Senegal typically have fewer than 1,500 inhabitants. You can use satellite imagery to identify isolated villages that represent rural life — those lacking basic services and infrastructure.

This is a self-construction design, to be built with simple technologies and locally available materials. Elevations, stairs, or elevators would increase costs and complicate construction. Additionally, we wish to integrate architecture with nature, reflecting the local context where all houses are single-story.

No. The design of electrical, hydraulic, or solar systems concerns a phase after the competition. These designs are not required for your submission.

This is one of the least developed areas of Senegal. There are no water and sewage networks. Bathrooms are typically made through a hole in the ground, often located away from the house to prevent bacteria. You can position services inside or outside the building, but the design of the sewage system is not required.

No. The materials indicated are those most commonly used and easiest to find in rural areas. No material is prohibited. For materials not listed, you may use international average prices as a reference.

Yes. The internship is offered to the entire winning team. The host architecture firm may request CVs, portfolios, and an interview to verify that team members meet the firm's standard requirements. Passing this selection phase is a necessary condition for starting the internship. Travel expenses are the responsibility of the winners. The internship must take place within one year from the publication of results.

Winners arepublished on the official Winners page. An international press release is distributed to our Global Media Partners, and winners are featured across social media, newsletters, the official competition book, and international exhibitions. The Team Leader of each winning teams is contacted via email.

No. Due to the high number of participants, it is not possible to provide individual feedback. The jury and committee select the winning projects as established by the rules. We encourage all participants to study the award-winning submissions and develop their self-critical skills for future editions.

Yes, the jury's decision is final, binding, and irrevocable. As stated in the competition terms (Section 6.1), there is no right of appeal. The jury members are internationally renowned architects who serve on a voluntary basis in support of the humanitarian mission. Their evaluation is based on the criteria published in the competition brief and is not subject to review or dispute.

Yes. All participants can request a Certificate of Participation within 6 months from the end of the competition. This certificate confirms your involvement in the competition and can be used for your portfolio or academic records.

The cash prize is awarded to the entire team as a single, one-time payment. The prize money is not divided per team member. It is the team's responsibility to manage the allocation of the prize internally. The payment is made to the Team Leader (or the designated representative) who will receive the full amount and distribute it according to the team's agreement.

No. Contacting any jury member, directly or indirectly, is strictly prohibited and will result in the immediate disqualification of the participant and their team. This rule protects the integrity and anonymity of the evaluation process. Any attempt to reach a jury member — whether by email, social media, or through third parties — constitutes a violation of the competition regulations (Section 6.2).

100% of the registration fees are donated to the Balouo Salo humanitarian organization. These funds are used to build wells, schools, health centers, and water infrastructure in rural Senegal, directly improving the lives of tens of thousands of people. The competition is a fundraising event — every registration is a contribution to this mission.

Because the fee constitutes a completed donation at the time of payment. The funds are immediately allocated to humanitarian projects. This is stated in the competition terms (Section 4) and applies regardless of withdrawal, disqualification, or non-awarding.