Building Back Better or Building Backward? Sustainable School Design,Community Identity,and Educational Leadership in Post-Earthquake Nepal

Abstract

This case study examines the leadership challenges while introducing sustainable infrastructure after the devastating 2015 earthquake in Nepal, and follows the leadership of Kids of Kathmandu, a non-profit organization dedicated to rebuilding schools. After building six concrete schools, the organization moved to a climate-resilient “rammed earth” construction. This shift triggers an adaptive challenge; the local community and political leaders view the earth-based construction not as an innovation, but as a regression to the “mud houses” that collapsed during the earthquake. The case highlights the tension between a leader’s vision for sustainability and a community’s aspirational identity for modernity. It culminates in a high-stakes confrontation with stakeholders and encourages students to analyze how educational leaders navigate the intersection of trauma, cultural identity, and innovation.