So, I always thought of my fellowship with MASS Design Group as a means for me to fulfill my desire to contribute to Global Health, because… well, we build hospitals! And who doesn’t see how hospitals contribute to the well being of communities, especially in countries like Rwanda?

However, this one morning, while I was on site at Butaro District Hospital, this foreman opened my eyes to yet another contribution MASS brings to the Global Health movement!

Here’s almost how the conversation went:

Him: A project like this would take a few weeks at most in Japan, and it would be really meticulously correct, right?
Me: Yes, the guys are just sophisticated! Everything cut at the right dimensions, the right tools, cutting-age measuring instruments… It’s just crazy!
Him: How much would the project cost?
Me: Well, I think, just about the same amount we used!

And… this actually opened my eyes!

It’s true, a Japanese firm would probably use a few people, proper tools and in end do a very quick well-done job. But MASS, prefers to use quite the same amount of money, but work with the local communities. This process earns them some money, gives them a skill they’ll use for the rest of their lives (most of them never got a chance to go to school), and help them see by their own eyes how the fruit of their work contributes to the development of their area. For instance, thanks to Butaro District Hospital, the whole area now has running water and stable electricity. Small businesses open, which creates jobs and improves lives. Around the site, people are even starting to build nicer houses, painting their houses in a variety of colors! It’s really amazing… And what’s more, I get to take part in such a great work! Working with local communities and contributing to improvement of their lives is very rewarding.

Thank you, GHC, for such a great opportunity!

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