Haiti veteran encourages others to help

A SOUTHSIDER, who has travelled to Haiti to build homes for the poor, has encouraged others to help some of the impoverished locals who were made homeless after an earthquake struck in 2010.

Haven, the Irish Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) that works to provide shelter, water and sanitation, and training to vulnerable people in Haiti, has announced that its upcoming Build-it-Week in November will be its last. The Irish based charity has worked solely in Haiti to build houses and provide emergency shelter since a devastating earthquake hit the country in January 2010, killing 230,000 people and leaving 1.5 million homeless.

From 2013 onwards, and in line with new Haitian government initiatives, Haven will be focusing on three core areas of work – shelter, water and sanitation, and training.

The NGO hopes to bring up to 90 Irish volunteers to Haiti for this final Build It Week that is taking place in L̩og̢ne Рthe epicentre of the devastating earthquake. Over 450,000 people remain homeless in Haiti since the catastrophic event.

To date 1,200 volunteers from all over Ireland have travelled with Haven to Haiti.

One of those selfless volunteers is Tom O’Neill, from Dun Laoghaire, a painter and decorator by profession who has travelled to Haiti three times since 2010.

On his first trip Tom witnessed the devastation caused by the earthquake when he travelled briefly to the capital Port Au Prince and then on to nearby Leogane.

He then moved on to the northwestern town of Gonaives where he helped build new homes for the tens of thousands of Haitians who were also left homeless after a powerful hurricane in 2009.

“We saw thousands and thousands of people living on the side of the road in tents and under plastic bags,

? he recalled.

“We saw some damage where buildings had literally collapsed in on themselves.

“When we left Port Au Prince we had to drive five or six hours north and on our way parts of the road had just disappeared.

?

Tom, who is currently trying to raise the e4,500 needed to participate in the trip, said working for Haven in Haiti had changed his life. He maintains that others who take part in the forthcoming trip will be enriched by the experience.

“I think it is something everyone should do,

? he insisted.

“It is completely life changing; it is an experience that you will never forget

“You go out with people you don’t know, from all works of life, from all backgrounds and all ages and within a few hours you gel together as a team and create 50 or 60 houses for people.

“To see the handover of the leys to locals at the end of the week is amazing. On that first trip we built about 50 houses and a community centre. We went back the following year and there were plants and vegetables growing and now there are near enough to 150 families living on that site. To see what I helped to create is just amazing.

?

To take part, volunteers are required to raise e4,500 which goes towards the cost of building materials and local community development programmes. All meals, accommodation, security and transport to and from Haiti are covered in the cost.

The final Build It Week departs Ireland on Friday, November 23. During this week Haven volunteers will partner up with volunteers from all over the world to build 100 homes in Léogâne, 18 miles from Port-au-Prince.

For more information on Build It Week, November 2012 contact Cathy Brooks on 01-6815443, see www.havenpartnership.com or email [email protected]