Dominique Getliffe
Dominique, shown here with locals from Pweto, Democratic Republic of Congo
Dominique Gettliffe is an architect from Boulder, Colorado, where he has
practised for 22 years. In 2004, he travelled to the Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC) to work with UMCOR on a voluntary basis. He talks about his work and
his impresions of the country.
"With our youngest child leaving home, my wife Vivian and I felt a time had
come when we could explore some extended travel in a service capacity. In
particular, I was interested in finding an opportunity to use my professional
skills in architecture and construction in a different way than the design and
construction of Colorado luxury homes, which had constituted the bulk of my work
for the last few years.
In December 2003, Vivian sat down for the first time to surf the net for
potential opportunities, thinking it would be a process which might take much of
2004 before finding the right match. However, she arrived within minutes at the
Individual Volunteer Opportunity page of the Methodist Church and a listing
wanting someone fluent in French and versed in construction to help with
marketplaces in the DRC. After a few email exchanges, we were contacted by and
met with Jennifer Poitras, an UMCOR staff member who by coincidence was
temporarily working from her home not far from us. In February, I took the
weekend volunteer training course and in mid-March, I arrived in Lubumbashi in
Southeast DRC.
My 5 week assignment was to get the marketplace component of a food security
project for returning refugees off the ground. I was to assist in the selection
of builders for 2 covered market structures in Pweto and Kilwa, small towns
along the border with Zambia, as well as to negotiate the acquisition of land
for the markets and to help with procurement of construction materials.
I arrived in the large town of Lubumbashi where UMCOR in DRC is headquartered
and my work began within hours, as Shaun Skelton, Head of Mission for UMCOR DRC
at the time*, gave me several builders' proposals to review. I was surprised
that the builders included marketplace designs with their bids. This unusual
approach turned out to be very useful for me, providing valuable information on
local construction techniques. After Shaun and I met with some of the builders
and visited existing covered markets in Lubumbashi, I felt familiar enough with
the local approach to take on the schematic design and eventually prepare the
construction documents which were ultimately used.
After a few days in Lubumbashi and multiple interviews with builders, I flew
to Pweto accompanied by an outboard motor, PVC pipes (both for another UMCOR
project) and a large cardboard box full of banknotes (the cash salary payment
for UMCOR employees in Pweto). It felt like the adventure had started when the
single engine plane dropped me off on the air strip in the middle of the bush
above Pweto. I was met by Kutela, who took me around the village for official
introductions and a visit of the existing Market.
 During the
following days I met with local builders who had submitted proposals for the
market and visited previous construction projects. I settled down in the guest
bedroom of UMCOR's office and became familiar with my new environment. The
people of Pweto were warm and welcoming, a bit curious about the purpose of my
stay, but always ready for a good laugh. Denis (Head of the UMCOR operation in
Pweto) and I checked out three parcels of land as potential market sites, which
provided me with a direct introduction to local politics. We evaluated the
merits of the sites, had public meetings to gather feedback from the women who
would be using the market and began negotiations with the various owners.
Over the next few weeks, with Shaun's guidance and the help of Denis, Kutela
and other UMCOR staff members, the project began to take shape. A site was
selected and a supervisor and builders were chosen. The roof trusses involved
some techniques new to that area, so the builders and I worked together to
create a prototype truss to use as a model during construction. Kutela and I
also took a trip to Kilwa, where the second market was to be built. This
involved a ferry across Lake Mweru, as well as travelling by truck in Zambia.
In the design of the covered market, one consideration was the use of thatch
versus corrugated metal for the roof. It was tempting to choose a thatch roof
for many reasons. The indigenous roofs are made of thatch installed on a bamboo
framework. Corrugated metal, on the other hand, must be imported from Zambia and
amounts to about 25% of the cost of the whole structure. Using thatch would
benefit local craftsmen rather than diverting money to import an industrial
product. Thatch has an incomparable thermal advantage over the metal as well,
helping to keep the space beneath it cool. If installed properly with the right
slope it is as waterproof as any type of roof. The disadvantage is that it is
flammable, and insects love to lodge in it unless discouraged by smoke from a
wood stove. Also, the local population favours the metal roof, which is seen as
a step up.
We finally opted for the metal roof, in spite of the thermal comfort,
inherent architectural beauty and indigenous nature of thatch. The quality of
thatch roofs may vary widely depending on the grass that is used and the
craftsmanship of installation. Given more time to research and develop the
techniques suitable for the performance demands of a thatch roof for this type
of public project, I would have preferred to go with thatch. This dilemma raised
the question: how does one choose the appropriate technology to adopt in a given
context?
 I especially enjoyed
working with my clients, the market women, and found them articulate and
community-minded, with a wonderful sense of humour. It was fun to see their
enthusiasm as they manipulated the scale model of the market to illustrate their
thoughts and preferences. The people I encountered in the construction field
were quite resourceful, able to accomplish a lot with very little in the way of
tools or technology. The people of Pweto in general were delightful (and
musical!).
I was surprised at how well dressed most people were in this village with no
running water or electricity, to the point of having impeccably ironed clothes.
They, on the other hand, seemed surprised to see my wrinkled shirts and it was
mentioned to me more than once!
It was inspiring to see the optimism, energy and spirit of the people of
Pweto, who have so little, and yet are certainly making the most of what they
have. At the same time, they live so "lightly' on the planet compared to us
Westerners.
The ground was broken on the project the day after I left. Although a lot was
accomplished in those 5 weeks, I regret not being able to stay through the
construction and I am eager to see the first photographs of the finished
markets. This was a life-changing experience for me, both in the discovery of a
completely unknown part of the world, and the connections made with the
resilient, wonderful people I met there. I felt that UMCOR's project was
worthwhile and well-run and it was a privilege to be a part of it. I hope to
have similar opportunities in the future."
Go to www.gettliffe.com
for more information about Dominique's work.
If you would like to know more about volunteering for UMCOR NGO, please
contact:
UMCOR Consultant
Carol Van Gorp
carolvangorp@earthlink.net
Tel: +1-518-532-7694
Fax: +1-518-532-9401
* Shaun Skelton, was Head of Mission for UMCOR
DRC from March 2003 to May 2004.
Updated September 2004. | 
