A community health worker in the existing structure at Karawaji Health Center, Gbadolite Health Zone

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A mother waits patiently for care outside the crowded existing health center at Bokpasi

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Antonio Martinez, IMA Architect, waits as the crew repairs the broken-down truck

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The newly hired site superviseurs help clear land for the new Karawa Cité Health Center

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The team gets blocked on its way to Karawa Health Zone by a large truck that is stuck in the mud, a common occurrence

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Young villagers prepare Ponzu in Loko Health Zone

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The over-crowded waiting room in the existing structure at Bokpasi Health Center, Karawa Health Zone

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The truck carrying team members and supplies to Loko Health Zone breaks down half way there

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A villager helps IMA Architect Antonio Martinez measure out the new Loko Health Center

The kings of IMA DRC construction are at it again, this time making their way through the northern province of Equateur. Antonio Martinez and Evan Schellenberg, the architect and engineer at IMA DRC, are leading an ambitious effort to start 16 new sites in Nord Ubangi District.

Antonio and Evan travelled to Equateur on February19th with 9 newly hired site supervisors in tow. The site supervisors, all graduates from the prestigious construction management program at the Institut Du Bâtiment Et Des Travaux Publicswere all interviewed and selected in Kinshasa.

The original plan was to travel to Gbadolite, the commercial capital of Nord Ubangi, and open one new site per day. As is often the case, DRC had other plans for them. Namely, two cancelled flights, two flat tires and a broken down truck among other things. Despite these setbacks the team was able to start three new sites in just a few days: Karawa Cité and Bokpasi in Karawa Health Zone and Loko Health Center in Loko Health Zone. The team also stopped by two sites that were started earlier this year in Gbadolite Health Zone, Karawaji and Kratos. Both centers were moving steadily along with foundations nearly completed.

Each new site will take approximately four months to complete and will serve a population of over 13,000 people. Many of the sites have existing health centers but these are nothing more than crumbling huts with no electricity and few beds.

The team continues their journey through Equateur, making headway in a place where few thought it possible.