{"id":39307,"date":"2025-04-30T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-30T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ie.edu\/uncover-ie\/?p=39307"},"modified":"2025-04-30T12:19:27","modified_gmt":"2025-04-30T10:19:27","slug":"social-impact-architecture-master-in-architecture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ie.edu\/uncover-ie\/social-impact-architecture-master-in-architecture\/","title":{"rendered":"Social impact architecture: Insights from Trist\u00e1n Sartorius"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/span> 6<\/span> min read<\/span><\/span>\n

Let us introduce you to Trist\u00e1n Sartorius<\/a>\u2014Master in Architecture student, alumnus of the Bachelor in Architectural Studies, and co-founder of 4Fate NGO<\/a>. His nonprofit organization recently won first place at the XII University Volunteer Awards<\/a> by Mutua Madrile\u00f1a Foundation, making it the perfect moment to tell his story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From social impact architecture in Kenya to studies in Madrid, find out how Trist\u00e1n<\/a> is already making a difference on the international stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social outreach in Kenya<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Trist\u00e1n first ventured out to Kenya in 2023 <\/a>with a group of friends to volunteer in Ukunda, a town of 60,000 inhabitants. The idea of the trip was to educate local children about issues like road safety. Before long, Trist\u00e1n got the sense there was more that could be done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The help we were giving was minimal, just two or three hours a day, and then we had free time to do whatever we wanted,” says Trist\u00e1n. “We started thinking about how else we could help. One thing we saw is that all the kids really liked sports, especially playing football\u2014just like every other kid in pretty much the entire world. During every break, they would go to the yard of the school to play soccer, but the soccer field was in bad shape. There were a lot of roots, a lot of rocks, and the goals were made from old car tires.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The initial plan was simple: Crowdfund enough to reform the pitch into a safe and playable area.<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Trist\u00e1n and his friends thought \u20ac800 would be enough and set up a GoFundMe page to be shared among friends. But the story resonated beyond what they’d expected. Within three weeks, they’d raised \u20ac60,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Establishing the residential center project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“We started thinking more deeply about how to use those resources effectively,” Trist\u00e1n explains. “We wanted to target those who were really struggling.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As Trist\u00e1n and his friends met more residents of the town, they gained an introduction with Mama Gladys.<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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“She’s our main contact in Kenya,” says Trist\u00e1n. “She’s been working with families in need for more than 30 years and is very well-known in the town. She introduced us to disabled children and showed us how difficult their living situation was. They need to be taken care of almost 24 hours a day, making it even harder for often single mothers to find jobs and earn money.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using the crowdfunded money, Trist\u00e1n and his friends bought a plot of land with a drive to make real, tangible difference. “We designed a residential center for a total of 15 families, which is already underway. This center will have a physiotherapy room and a workshop, allowing mothers to produce artisanal products that can be sold in the market for income. The long-term goal is for them to be self-sufficient within five to six years.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4Fate NGO: Creating a nonprofit organization<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Three years after that first trip to Kenya, Trist\u00e1n and co-founder Beltr\u00e1n Tornos now run 4Fate NGO, a nonprofit organization. “We wanted to officially establish the project and become a nonprofit association here in Spain, which would give us significant legal support and help attract more donors. This would also allow us to apply for grants and grow the project,” says Trist\u00e1n, though he notes the process wasn’t straightforward. “Two of our team members left because it\u2019s a hard job with no pay and a lot of time invested.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pair oversee the project from Spain, with regular visits back to Kenya. “Daily or weekly, we receive updates about the progress with pictures and receipts,” says Trist\u00e1n. “I’m responsible for managing the construction, sending the funds, and ensuring that everything is going smoothly.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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