In 2012 I signed on as the construction supervisor with the International Rescue Committee for the largest community driven reconstruction effort of its kind on the continent of Africa.  Tuungane (“Together”), was a governance project in the DRC seeking to heal the wounds of years of war and genocide by improving government services and protection, and to build citizens’ confidence in their government provide those services.

​

 

Construction projects were the vehicle used to initiate these developments – and there were many of them.  Each community was given the option to build either a school, clinic, water system, road, or market, and it was my responsibility to oversee the planning, design, implementation, construction, and completion of over 290 of them.  Over the course of my time with the IRC, I saw my role expand to contribute to the national team’s strategic direction towards the completion of 1200 projects across the eastern half of the country.