To all the friends in Quebec and elsewhere I wish you a very good St-Jean, is celebrating the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere and a national holiday of Quebec. 
Friends (rafiki Kiswahili) are still essential but especially when living away from home and family in a foreign cultural environment. Among my friends here there are expatriates, mostly working for international organizations and depart at the end of their contracts, and there are Congolese who they are ... 
Astrid (Norway, former UNHCR and now with Norwegian Refugee Council in Goma) - Kadutu market here in Bukavu
Ingrid (Belgium, Director of BTC - Belgian Technical Cooperation - South-Kivu) - with potatoes ...
Welcome (young Congolese carpenter training)
Isabella (American of Cambodian descent, my former roommate, now the U.S. Senate in Washington before embarking on his master's degree at Harvard in September) - arrival at Minembwe
Patrick (Congolese lawyer, lives in Goma) - on the terrace Astrid in
Massimo (Italian architect, former IRC now with COOPI - Italian Cooperation - Moba) - here with Vanno
Willy (Congolese carpenter who has made several furniture IRC ) - Welcome to
Nicky (British ex-Warchild Holland, now on sabbatical somewhere in Europe) - with his camera
Zongo (Burkina Faso, working with IRC in Burundi and has studied in Quebec) - with Georgia (Tanzania) and the helicopter to Lake Kivu
Timothy (Congolese entrepreneur who has made several constructions for IRC in Kivu) - Purchase of mangoes on the road Kalehe 
There a lot of new construction here in Bukavu. Especially houses, and often very impressive. They are obviously aimed at the local bourgeoisie and the style reflects quite well the taste "nouveau riche" of that class (a rather popular taste internationally for that matter). It is far from the colonial architecture that was actually quite classic (see the house of a friend down here). 
We notice immediately the use of a rather convoluted style, especially at roof level and the multiple openings. The use of columns and arches is also the norm. And the reflective glass seems the mark of chic. During my walks, I have not found a single example of modern architecture, interesting or even original. 
The buildings are massive and not very elegant. Piled one upon another, they often occupy the whole plot. It is not even a step back from the street and the windows are sometimes located a few inches from the adjoining property. 
It seems that the familiarity is not the main concern of manufacturers. No longer the preservation of nature and lake views. We construct becoming larger and, therefore, it often obstructs the view of the neighbor. 
Older parcels on the lake were subdivided to maximize profit and the result is that many houses have no view on it. The garden which was formerly one of the major attractions in the colonial villa, then you simply forget. It now comes down to a few meters from a rare grass, a few potted plants, if not simply artificial plants. Any space that remains is for the car. Bukavu was a beautiful city because of its gardens and its location on the lake. This is no longer the case today, unfortunately ... 
So we built all these horrors, there are many houses Colonial falling into disrepair (eg the influence Italianate house, located on the same street as the previous house). 
Many locals live on the other hand insanitary shacks without water or electricity. The photos here show down homes in the old stables of the equestrian club. That is to say that the place where you previously kept a horse is now living a whole family ... 
Ishovu is an island in the territory Kalehe. Near the coast it is easily accessible from Kalehe center. Residents are also regular shuttle boat, some for school and others to the market. 
We went there recently to inspect the local health center (built in IRC a few years ago) and evaluate what rehabilitation work would eventually be needed. 
The big canoe crossing is an experience in itself. Especially when the master is singing while wielding a paddle aggressively. The landscape of islands and mountains is charming and a pleasure to slide the calm waters of Lake Kivu. 
A grove of trees greets visitors to the island. We are told that at the foot of them are buried former chiefs of the region. So it is a sacred place. 
For a path that climbs gently we come to the clinic and we see the school not far away. A young boy serves as our guide. 
Ishovu is a farming community where one is mainly cassava and soybeans. The islanders also practice artisanal fishing, by boat. We observed many in the neighborhood. 
Not far away is the island of Iroka more small, or soon we plan to construct a health post. 
Currently we are at the beginning of a new health program in South Kivu. So in a period of planning work to be performed over a period of three years. This work was funded by the British cooperation (DFID), will include rehabilitation and construction of posts and health centers in four main areas, as well as out-buildings such as latrines, incinerators, showers, pools, etc.. The only site currently 
in activity is the training room Mukongola in the area of health Kabare. The walls are erected and the erection of the roof structure should start this week. It hopes to complete all for mid-July. 
We also recently delivered the furniture I had done to make the doctor's house chef de zone (MCZ) in the same locality. Tables, shelves and beds and chairs for the living room. 
A simple design implemented using beautiful local woods, such as Sirit, and libuyu licheche. You can see some examples. 
