Embassy News
U.S. Navy Seabees, Congolese Armed Forces and IPHD Cooperate in Rebuilding Schools Brazzaville - Thirteen U.S. Navy Seabees deployed from Sigonella Naval Air Station arrived in Brazzaville on August 17, and within six weeks had worked wonders on a Brazzaville neighborhood high school, CEG de la Paix. This high school has 12 classrooms that provides classes to over 1700 Congolese students ranging in ages from 14 to 17 years old. The buildings had not been maintained or upgraded in many years, and the Seabees were able to purchase and install doors and windows, repair the roof, repair and paint walls and completely renovate the exterior of the 30-year old school.
October 2, 2007
In a ceremony that marked the Seabees completion, Ambassador Weisberg remarked that this was the first time that the US Navy Seabees had worked side-by-side with the members of the Congolese Armed Forces and that the Embassy would be looking for future projects to keep this synergy going.
International Program for Humanitarian Development (IPHD) is completing the work with walkways, latrines, and ground cover. Private corporate donors have contributed to build desks, a basketball court and a perimeter wall. IPHD is completing the work on a second school which has over 3500 students. Mr. and Mrs. Weisberg visited several schools in the Brazzaville area and, after deciding on these two specific schools due to their poor condition, initiated the project with the SeaBees.