Habitat for Humanity HaitiHabitat for Humanity Haiti -- Habitat for Humanity Int'l 1
History
Habitat for Humanity has 26 years of experience serving families in Haiti. It has provided more than 2,000 families with housing solutions (1,794 of which are new homes) through a variety of initiatives including projects for new home construction, progressive building, and home improvements. It also builds capacity in construction skills, disaster mitigation and financial literacy, and works in coordination with community and government actors.
Watch “Building Homes, Building Hope,” Habitat for Humanity Haiti’s institutional video on YouTube (subtitled).
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Habitat for Humanity’s response includes immediate relief efforts and long-term shelter solutions for low-income families.
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Major earthquake in January, 2010
A major earthquake struck the Caribbean nation on January 12, 2010—just 10 miles west of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Thousands of buildings and homes were destroyed, and the number of those affected is in the millions.
Habitat’s response
Habitat for Humanity’s response includes immediate relief efforts and long-term shelter solutions for low-income families.
The multiphase strategy to the Haiti earthquake includes early recovery and mid- and long-term responses.
How you can help victims of the earthquake
Habitat is not sending volunteers to Haiti at this time. However, for Habitat to respond effectively to this disaster, please donate to our Haiti earthquake work.
Keep monitoring www.habitat.org for news and updates on our plans and activities in Haiti.
Learn about more ways to help at How you can help Haiti.
Devastation of the 2008 hurricane season
Between August 9 and September 7 of 2008, tropical storms and hurricanes Fay, Gustav, Hanna and Ike consecutively pummeled Haiti.
In Gonaives, Haiti’s second largest city with a population of 500,000, flood waters reached the ten foot mark. A total of 3,735 homes were destroyed or damaged in Gonaives alone. Compounding the situation, bridges and roads into the Gonaives area were washed out, and reliable land access has only recently been reestablished.
Vulnerability to disaster
Families living in inadequate housing are more vulnerable to disasters, which happen often, since Haiti sits right on the hurricane path in the Caribbean. A total of 15 severe tropical storms or hurricanes have hit Haiti in the last 14 years. Habitat for Humanity is helping to rebuild after the hurricanes of 2008 and the 2010 earthquake, as well as mitigate future disasters, utilizing disaster-resistant home designs.
Model projects
Habitat for Humanity Haiti has historically supported several initiatives, in addition to traditional home construction.
Incremental improvements for homes damaged by tropical storms and hurricanes: In Haiti, people build incrementally over a period of several years—often up to 10 or 20 years. Loans from Habitat can help families to improve the structure of their home and their quality of life, including essential repairs and improvements (roofs, walls, floors, water/sanitation and latrines). House completions are also made possible through small loans by allowing families to make the investment to finish construction.
Core homes: In Haiti, the core housing unit replicates the traditional Haitian practice of building incrementally, beginning with the basics and progressing with additions over time. This also allows Habitat to reach more families through a subsidized solution in the short-term, with the option of integrating them into the Habitat loan program in the future. The 20 square meter core housing unit consists of one or two rooms, and exceeds the Sphere standards of living space for five people (the average Haitian family size). Core homes also include a separate sanitation structure with a latrine and shower.
Building and Training Centers: Habitat is providing vocational training, facilitating jobs in the construction sector, and supporting construction-related small enterprises through Building and Training Centers (BTC) in Gonaives and Cap-Haitien. The project is supported by an USAID sub-grant for US$900,000 through CHF International and Habitat for Humanity International, and with additional support from the Saje Foundation.
Training in disaster preparedness and mitigation: Disaster mitigation and prevention training in coordination with local government (Civil Defense), community groups and other non-profit organizations such as World Vision, is a key element in reducing families’ vulnerability to disasters—potentially saving lives. Habitat has partnered with Civil Defense in Cabaret, Haiti to provide this training to families.
To learn more about Habitat for Humanity in Latin America and the Caribbean, click here.
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