Amid the stony, unforgiving terrain of Djibouti, U.S. service members have been working with villagers of the Tadjourah region to build a "beacon for the community to rally around."

And the way they did it is pretty remarkable, as you can see in the slideshow linked below.

Using cement, barbed wire, bags, and dirt, Soldiers from one of the Army's civil affairs teams (CAT) assigned to the Horn of Africa taught villagers how to construct a building that can withstand harsh desert winds.

Residents of the Karabti San village expect that the building — called an "eco-dome" because of its shape and the materials used — will have a lasting impact on the community. There's now the prospect of government officials bringing them electricity, and they intend to use the structure as a school or clinic.

CAT team chief Capt. Justin Lev said villagers initially saw the eco-dome as an American project in their village, but now look at it as their own. That's heartening for the U.S. mission of nation building in the Horn of Africa.

Funded by donations from civilian organizations, the $3000 eco-dome isn't just a mud hut. Soldiers and villagers built the structure to have a primary and secondary unit as well as a loft.

"Teaching you something is better than giving you money,” said Kasim Ali, Karabti San village chief. “This [the eco-dome] is good and will last long. It is something good for the village." Villagers will be able to build more themselves since the Army is leaving them with their tools, and the materials needed can be easily found in the remote area.