Three years after his emigration from German to Africa Ernst May, took an important step towards returning to his earlier vocation. On 30 June 1937 Kenya's Chamber of Architects and Surveyors confirmed his registration as an architect in the country with this certificate.

At the start of his exile in Africa, Ernst May worked as a farmer in Tanzania. Over the years he received more and more building commissions which he attended to during his free evening and night hours. For example, he planned a residential home for an English businessman. In the town of Arusha close to his farm, he designed a Catholic church. These projects encouraged May to use his experience from Europe and work full-time as an architect in exile in Africa. In 1937, he travelled several times to Kenya to achieve this aim. An initial cooperation with the English architect in Nairobi did not work out. Afterwards May founded an architects' office with another English colleague who he found to be more genial. Shortly afterwards they opened another branch in the Tanzanian coastal city of Dar es Salam.

May's acceptance in the Kenyan Chamber of Architects had a beneficial effect on his new professional start on the British colony. The seal of the Chamber of Architects shows the profile of a lion to the left of which there is an architect's pair of compasses. May's certificate bears this seal twice – as printed and embossed versions. With this official seal of approval, Ernst May was immediately able to continue with his career while in exile.