Born in a small village called Gando, he moved to Germany on a scholarship shortly after completing his education. He studied architecture at the Technical University of Berlin. Although his firm is based in Berlin, Kéré has dedicated his life towards the development of Gando by reinvesting his knowledge he gained from Europe. In 1998, he set up Schulbausteine für Gando, which loosely translates as "Building Blocks for Gando," to fund the construction of a primary school for his village. Earlier the schools were made of concrete and made it difficult for students to concentrate in the heat; Kere's schools are made with heat-absorbing earthen bricks and have corrugated steel roofs that are raised to allow air for better circulation. His efforts have earned him numerous accolades including the prestigious Aga Khan Award for Architecture.