The story so far
Following the successful establishment of our first non-profit eye centre in the Republic of Congo, at the invitation and with the support of local authorities, we are extending our services through the construction and fitting out of a new comprehensive teaching eye hospital in Ouesso on a 6-hectare piece of land acquired in November 2016. This strategic location will enable us to reach out to the whole of Congo and neighbouring countries, such as Gabon, Cameroon, Central African Republic, and Democratic Republic of Congo.
In 2022, construction began on a purpose-built eye teaching hospital in Ouesso. The eye block is due for completion soon, and next phase of construction for accommodations for staff, visitors and patient families is planned for 2025. The hospital will serve the whole region and aims to become a hub for medical outreach.
Donate to support the fitting out and equipment of the future hospital, and the next phase of construction!
Meet the Construction Project Manager
I am Frederic DEGY, project manager and representative of the company Fortis Logistique. It is an honour for me as a Franco-Congolese to have the responsibility of leading this project which aims to help the populations of northern Congo and the Congo Basin in general. Fortis is a local company created in 2009 and employs about 250 people. It has a presence throughout the country, with a base at Pointe-Noire, at Brazzaville and at Ouesso since 2016. The great challenge of this project is the isolation of this area and the supply of tools and materials. The fact that we are in the transport business makes us a good partner who can both transport the materials and carry out the construction to international standards.
Photo caption: Fred (first on the right) with volunteer engineer Jason Kalb, founders Henri and Joyce Samoutou, and volunteer engineer Jack Eisenbach
The Construction Plan
The land acquired by New Sight has an area of 6 hectares (60,000 m2) and we have currently fenced off only 2 hectares (20,000 m2)
The building will include :
- 20 beds (including 2 VIP rooms and 2 isolation rooms)
- Outpatient department (including emergency room, consultation room, examination room, counselling room)
- Optical shop with workshop
- Pharmacy
- Surgical unit, including 2 operating theatres, a pre- and post-op ward
- Support and sterilisation department
- Laser treatment unit
- Training centre
- Rest area for staff and students
- Offices
The building will also be an environmentally friendly, as it will be 95% self-sufficient in water and electricity, thanks to an electrical supply via solar panels.
What’s been done
What’s being done now
What’s to be done
The Latest Update
Week of 20 September 2024
Joyce takes us to the hospital ward, our showcase for team work this summer! The teams from Congo, Hong Kong, Boston, Edmonton, Toronto, Vancouver, Texas gave their time, talent, and efforts to do different tasks at different stages to complete these wards together. What a wonderful summer! Teamwork makes the dream work! #dreamteam #strongertogether #dreamcometrue
Week of 9 September 2024
See Joyce’s reasons for love-love-loving her new office! Of course, working next door to Henri is the top reason!
Week of 17 April 2024
Joyce wishes us a happy springtime and shares an update on construction progress. #spring #construction #hospital #newsightnewlife
Week of 17 March 2024
Our hospital was planned and built with sustainability in mind. We are proud of our 375 kW PV solar system with 140 batteries controlled by 2 huge inverters, which will provide 95% of our water and electricity needs with a back-up generator. Thank you to the fabulous teams who travelled all the way from South Africa and south of Congo for helping us set it all up, and thank you to you, our supporters and donors, for empowering us to empower our patients and community.
The Congolese solar team and South African battery team singing their song of victory when the batteries finally started charging in the New Sight power room. Even though they didn’t speak each other’s language they sang together! Victory!
Week of 28 February 2024
This month, the team worked on electrical repairs for generators and electrical systems, borehole repair works and water pump replacement. For the upcoming roof leaks repair and battery-solar system connection work by a South African team, they sourced materials and made arrangements.
Pump repairs
Electrical hookups
Week of 31 January 2024
The works on site this month were topsoil spreading and grass installation. The DDH (Regional manager) visited the site to inspect the hospital borehole and was greeted by Henri and Sabin.
Topsoil spreading for grass installation
Grass installation
Grass installation
Site visit from the DDH (Regional manager)
Week of 11 December 2023
On site works ongoing: grass installation resumed, with the guards watering every night; fencing and east canal culvert installation and backfilling.
Grass growing at the northeast façade
Top soil delivered for grass installation
Perimeter fence on the north side
Additional intermediary fence on the west side
East canal manhole and culvert
East canal culvert installation
East canal culvert installation ongoing
East canal backfill on top of culvert
Week of 25 November 2023
Several works have been ongoing on site: the perimeter fence gate, metallic posts and welded mesh were being installed; the generator vent piping was installed; mosquito nets and wooden frames were installed in the wall opening; topsoil was spread for installing grass; and excavation for the east access canal commenced. The team continued to work to address the roof leaks and other issues, by installing replacement metallic roof sheets for the south façade canopy cover and replacement ceramic ceiling boards for the consultation.
Perimeter fence gate installation
Metallic post and welded mesh installation
Generator vent piping installation
South façade canopy cover with metallic roof sheets
Wall opening cover with mosquito nets and wooden frame
Replacement ceramic ceiling boards ready for installation
Topsoil spreading for grass installation
East access canal excavation works
Week of 18 November 2023
Earlier this month, the construction team installed the chimney in the incinerator room and started excavating the canal. The excavation and pouring of cement for the perimeter fence footing, and installation of metallic posts and welded mesh continued. The generator room underwent painting works, ventilation fan installation, and exhaust ductwork installation and painting. The team tackled the roof leaks and other issues by removing the south façade louver and putting on metallic roof sheets for the canopy cover, and they also removed the consultation area ceiling boards. The septic tank hatch concrete cover was installed.
Incinerator chimney installation
Canal excavation
Fence grid and post installation
Generator room walls painting works
Generator exhaust ductwork installation and painting
South façade louver removal and canopy cover with metallic roof sheets
Consultation area ceiling boards removal
Septic tank hatch concrete cover installation
Week of 28 October 2023
Concrete pouring on road pads commenced. Gate installation of the east access was completed. Concrete pouring for the slab cover of the northwest septic tank and plastering of the access hatch were done. Roadworks and backfilling continued and road walkway works were ongoing.
Concrete pouring on road pad
Gates at the east access were installed
Slab cover pouring over northwest septic tank
Access hatch plastering of the northwest septic tank
Roadworks and backfilling continued
Road walkway works ongoing
Week of 1 October 2023
Epoxy paint was applied to the exterior corridor and autoclave room. The ramp to the hospital was being welded and installed. The northwest cesspool slab was being installed. Roof leaks were discovered, so the roof was being repaired. The fence posts footing continued to be excavated, while fence metallic parts and the fence grid were installed.
Epoxy paint application in exterior corridor
Ramp being welded and installed
The northwest cesspool slab was being installed
Roof leaks repair ongoing
Fence posts footing excavated, and concrete poured
Fence metallic parts and the fence grid were installed
Week of 23 September 2023
We have some amazing photos of the hospital exterior from the drone, and fantastic photos of the hospital interior.
Drone photo of hospital site
Aerial photo of hospital site from a distance
Surgical corridor
Outpatient area doorway
Nurses station
Lecture room
Administrative area corridor
Inpatient 4-bed ward
Operating theatre 1
Operating theatre 2
Week of 2 September 2023
September saw several activities going on: electrical works, paint works, fans and lights installation, mosquito nets and frames installation, ceiling board and fiberglass installation and fence post footing excavation works. The northwest cesspool walls and beams were being formed and reinforced. The corridor floor was being prepared for water proofing agent application.
Paint works
Ceiling board installation
Lights installation
Mosquito nets and frames installation
Corridor floor prep for waterproofing agent
Northwest cesspool wall and column forming
Week of 27 August 2023
Ezra does the grand finale of construction updates in his summer holidays!
See how much progress has been made and imagine with him how we can help the community!
Week of 14 July 2023
For the first two weeks of this month, several works have been ongoing: windows adjustment, fans and ceiling lights installation, fibreglass installation, floor tiling, building side walls framing, and external sink wall tiling.
Windows adjustment
Fans and ceiling lights installation
Fibreglass installation
Floor tiling
Building side walls framing
External sink wall tiling
Week of 28 July 2023
Imagine you’re a patient, coming to our hospital for the first time! Let Ezra help you …
Week of 21 July 2023
Ezra is back in Ouesso for summer holidays and he’s taken over the construction updates!
See what he’s surprised about when he sees the space in person, and what mummy Joyce is happy about!
The Samoutou kids visit on 16 July
Cherissa, Ezra and Karis join their parents to visit the construction site of the eye block of the hospital. They posed with the panel, generator, ceiling hatch and fan, reception and consultation area. Look how excited they were! And we join them in gratefulness for the encouraging progress.
Karis posing with the electrical panel
Ezra the muscleman posing with the generator
Henri, Karis and Ezra going to explore the ceiling hatch
Cherissa and Ezra acting as nurses bringing an unwilling patient Karis for treatment? Be gentle, kids!
Ezra the patient and the lovely receptionist Karis
The groundbreaking wall sank as the ground levelled and the kids appear to have a growth spurt!
Week of 14 July 2023
For the first two weeks of this month, several works have been ongoing: windows adjustment, fans and ceiling lights installation, fibreglass installation, floor tiling, building side walls framing, and external sink wall tiling.
Windows adjustment
Fans and ceiling lights installation
Fibreglass installation
Floor tiling
Building side walls framing
External sink wall tiling
Week of 30 June 2023
Our June construction video shows that the solar panels have been fitted, internal walls are now up, the plumbing and incinerator have been installed, and the team is now working on the electrics, solar panels, air-conditioning, ceiling framing, as well as continuing with windows, tiling and paintwork.
Week of 13 May 2023
The eye block is looking impressive! Building exterior wall plastering and painting are ongoing as are works on the lintel and the concrete pavement. In the interior, work on floor tiling, plumbing and pipes, and door and window edges continue.
Eye block south view
Eye block northwest view
Eye block northeast view
Eye block northeast view
Drone view of completely white roof of eye block
Reception and corridor
Inpatient area and corridor
Week of 30 April 2023
These aerial photos show the overall progress being made on the site:
Aerial view side approach
Aerial view top approach
Throughout April, work continued on: plumbing work, brick laying, interior wall plastering, window edge finishing, roofing work, wall painting in inpatient area, wall painting in nurse station, operation theatre walls forming, floor tiling in inpatient area, floor screed pouring, manhole forming, and rainwater collector slab reinforcement.
Interior wall plastering
Window edge finishing
Roofing work
Wall painting in the inpatient area
Wall painting in nurse station
Operation theatre walls forming
Floor tiling in inpatient area
Floor-screed pouring
Manhole forming
Rainwater collector slab reinforcement
Week of 10 April 2023
Joyce reports that tiles are laid down – every tile represents the support we have received.
Week of 31 March 2023
Over the month, great progress has been made in several areas: plumbing, brick-laying, interior-wall plastering, theatre-wall reinforcement, lintel installation, building-slab preparation for concrete pouring, and tiling work on floors and walls.
Plumbing
Brick-laying
Interior wall plastering
Theatre-wall reinforcing
Lintel installation
Building slab preparation for concrete pouring
Week of 20 March 2023
Joyce reports that the walls and ceiling are up, and the floor slabs are set.
Week of 20 February 2023
Work continues on painting, plumbing, brick-laying, and plastering of interior walls.
Cesspit wall brick-laying
Nurse’s station column and beam form removal
Garbage room wall painting
Theatre walls forming
Plastering of interior walls
Drone view of the site
Week of 1 February 2023
The main building foundation is complete, concrete pouring continues on the slab, work continues on the wall partitions.
Work on partitions continues
Wall partitions with spaces left for windows
Work on partitions continues
Plumbing works
Week of 30 January 2023
Joyce and Wendy report that the floor slab is all laid out and the plumbing is almost complete!
Week of 20 January 2023
Part of the solar panels, paint and bathroom tiles were delivered. The hangar erection is now 97% complete. Kitchen painting and bathroom tiling began, and work continued on the foundation for the main building and slab.
Building slab concrete pouring
Corridor concrete pouring
Public bathroom block
Layout for the brick elevation
Week of 7 January 2023
Work continues on the hangar and roof installation.
Hangar and roof installation
Theatre wall reinforcement
Roofing works
Building slab backfilling and leveling
Theatre walls forming
Plumbing work
On 31 December 2022
On New Year’s Eve, Joyce reports that the roof is almost completed and the plumbing is on its way!
Week of 19 December 2022
Joyce’s reflection about growth and update on construction progress.
Week of 4 December 2022
Check out Joyce’s update on exciting progress here.
Week of 19 September 2022
Construction is progressing well and going full steam ahead to make up for lost time. Check out Joyce’s impromptu 1-minute tour of the construction site!
Eye Hospital Construction Ground-breaking Ceremony
On 28 July 2022, we were overjoyed to hold a groundbreaking ceremony to officially mark the start of the construction of our eye hospital. To watch the national news coverage and see more photos, please visit: Ouesso Eye Hospital Groundbreaking Ceremony.
Honourable guests attended the ceremony
The Prefét laid the foundation stone