New Building Underway - Prótesis Imbabura

Together, with our supporters, the team at Prótesis Imbabura:

Sand and bricks ready to go

bought a new building in March,
completed it in April,
relocated in May,
developed a building plan and took bids in July,
began second floor construction in August,
and are on the cusp of completion in October.
Construction in Ibarra is very different than in the US, with block, brick, and metal rather than wood, with many processes done by hand rather than machine, with strong earthquake resistance built in, and with no need for insulation, screens, heating, or cooling. When we left Ibarra in September, the workers were moving sand and bricks up to the second level, carrying the materials in sacks and on their backs.

View of Cayambe from second story construction site

Throughout this process patient care never halted, even on the day of the move. There are more clients than ever. We partner with government, NGOs and universities to provide for those without resources. Flemish, Spanish and English could be heard in our workshop as students and professionals from Ecuador and around the world volunteer at Prótesis Imbabura.

Metal roofing and skylights

We are realizing a dream of independence and sustainability. The staff has a significant financial stake in the project, having contributed half of the cost. Bob and Kit act as encouragers and liaisons to international resources, but the staff at Prótesis Imbabura runs the project, carried out the move, manages the day to day construction, and solicits local involvement.