Habitat representatives, partner families, local donors, partners, officials and supporters celebrate a new beginning in Habitat’s Santo community.

LÉOGÂNE, Haiti  – Yesterday,155 families left homeless by the 2010 earthquake took possession of their new permanent homes in Habitat for Humanity’s Santo community in Léogâne, 18 miles west of Port-au-Prince and considered to be the epicenter of the Jan. 12, 2010, earthquake.

“This is an exciting day for the partner families, Habitat for Humanity, donors, partners, volunteers and supporters who have made this all possible,” said Mark Andrews, vice president of Haiti recovery for Habitat for Humanity International. “Together, we have built a new community that will bring lasting hope, health and well-being to these families for years and generations to come.”

The Léogâne development has the potential to house up to 500 families, or approximately 2,500 individuals. To date, 155 homes have been constructed thanks to Santo project donors, including the Multilateral Investment Fund of the Inter-American Development Bank, donors and volunteers of Habitat’s 28th annual Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, and volunteers from Haven, an Irish non-profit. Partner families contributed more than 150 hours of “sweat equity” to help build their homes.

Habitat plans to construct another 100 houses this year when the Carter Work Project returns to Haiti. More houses will be constructed pending additional funding.

In addition to a new home, each family has their own compost latrine and has access to clean water at one of the 14 water points constructed throughout the development. Solar-powered street lighting is also provided. As part of the multi-year project, the plan is to provide needed services, including a community and health centre, a school, church and safe play areas.

New Habitat homeowner, Nathalie Saint Germanin, and her son, stand in front of their house.

Speaking at yesterday’s celebration, Claude Jeudy, Habitat’s national director for Haiti, said, “We have looked forward to this day with great anticipation to recognize what faith, perseverance and true partnership can create. This community is a testament to the inspiring work of the many people who have come together to make a difference in Haiti.”

Since the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti in January 2010, Habitat for Humanity’s five-year disaster recovery program to provide 50,000 families with pathways to permanent housing has helped more than 40,000 families, or approximately 200,000 individuals, in Port-au-Prince, Léogâne and Cabaret. In addition to its permanent houses in Santo, Habitat has distributed more than 24,500 emergency shelter kits with partner organizations, constructed more than 5,000 transitional or upgradeable shelters conducted 12,000 house damage assessments and repaired or rehabilitated more than 350 houses. Habitat’s primary focus over the next three years will be to partner with more Haitian families to build permanent housing.

The earthquake damaged nearly 190,000 houses in Haiti, of which 105,000 were completely destroyed. Of the more than 2 million affected survivors, 550,000 are still displaced, according to the International Organization for Migration.

Land tenure continues to remain the biggest roadblock to reconstruction. The process of identifying land ownership was vague before the earthquake, and now it is even more of a challenge.

To address this problem, Habitat has created and fostered the Haiti Property Law Working Group, a diverse coalition of Haitian government officials, lawyers, academics and business leaders, along with representatives of the World Bank, USAID, the Inter-American Development Bank, the government of France, the Organization of American States, Architecture for Humanity, the Clinton Global Initiative, foundations, development partners and other nongovernmental organizations engaged in reconstruction and development. The goal of the Haiti Property Law Working Group is to support the government of Haiti in the recovery effort through the appropriate development of property for job creation, housing and other purposes by defining each step of the current processes applicable to land transactions and recommending improvements to be incorporated in future policies.

This press release originally appeared of HFH International’s website.

Recent research by Habitat for Humanity (HFH) Australia has found that the stability of owning your home was the biggest change to partner families’ lives since moving into their Habitat home.

86 percent of the surveyed Habitat partner families said that gaining stability was the biggest impact of homeownership. Many also said that contributing to building their own home allowed them to gain new skills and resulted in a great sense of fulfilment. Before working in partnership with Habitat, families used to rely on the support of others, however, Habitat’s Partner family model helped families to help themselves. 76 per cent of the families do not require any help from the government, family or friends in loan repayments. Creating stability in the lives of these families meant that these families could now plan for the future; education and employment are now attainable with the ownership of their own home.

For many who did not own their own home, “living was just day to day” and planning for the future was very difficult due to financial hardship, stress and poor health. Poor living conditions and a lack of stability dominated daily routines. Families stated that they now have control over their monthly expenses. Working in partnership with Habitat builds friendships and strengthens communities.

In Australia, HFHA assists low-income households achieve their dream of building and owning their own home. More than 100 homes have been completed in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.

The research was carried out by ACA research to provide valuable information into Habitat’s work and the impact of owning your own home. The research focused on Habitat Partner families. The full Homeowner study is available here.

Words of Thanks from Habitat Partner Families!

To reach our goal of safe, decent, affordable shelter for all, Habitat for Humanity works to change the systems, attitudes and policies that can lead to inadequate housing.

Over the next few days Habitat’s leaders, volunteers and supporters will gather in Washington DC for our 6th annual advocacy and legislative conference.  This event brings people together from across the United States to sharpen their advocacy skills and tell Congress about the issues that deeply matter to Habitat.

You can keep up to date with all latest news from Washington DC by following the hashtag #habitatonthehill on Twitter.

To learn more about Habitat for Humanity’s advocacy work read this article, Advocacy In Action, in the latest online issue of Habitat World or watch this video about Cynthia Wiggins’ journey from Habitat homeowner to advocate.

]]> http://www.habitatireland.ie/2012/02/habitat-on-the-hill/feed/ 0 http://www.habitatireland.ie/2012/01/haiti%e2%80%99s-lesson-for-us-all/ http://www.habitatireland.ie/2012/01/haiti%e2%80%99s-lesson-for-us-all/#comments Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:01:48 +0000 communications http://www.habitatireland.ie/?p=3383

Mark Andrews, Habitat for Humanity International’s vice president for Haiti recovery, reflects on the last two years in Haiti.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been two years since that awful day. I wasn’t in Haiti. In fact, I’d never been. But I remember the first news flashes from Port-au-Prince, and I remember where I was and what I thought. Never did I imagine that I would spend 18 months of my life focused entirely on the aftermath of that one horrendous day.

Like almost everyone who has ventured to Haiti since the earthquake, I was overwhelmed by the rubble, by the poverty, by the lack of progress. The disaster had impacted decent shelter, clean water, electricity, schools, everything. The situation in the country had been bad before, but now layers and layers of rubble joined decades of national neglect.

Now, as I reflect on the impact of the work of Habitat and so many organizations, nations and individuals, I really can see change. I see it in the faces of the people of Haiti. I see hope where once there was only despair. I see the beginning of a new enthusiasm.

The rubble is slowly going away. Camps are slowly disappearing. People who for many months lived in makeshift shelters in the median of the highway are gone. After such a profound shaking of a nation, these are signs of real change.

Is it fast enough? Certainly not. Is it deep enough? Not yet. But is change underway? Undoubtedly.

Habitat has helped more than 40,000 families with their shelter needs. We’ve helped families to rebuild, repair and reimagine their future. We’ve helped people move into homes that are better than anything they’ve ever lived in, and we’ve helped others recapture their land, their home and their hope. Not bad, but not enough.

The fixes for the issues that Haiti faces require long-term commitments, deep understanding and enormous respect for the people who have been impacted by all that Haiti has been. But with those commitments and that understanding and respect, the Haitian people will be successful at what they have learned to do so well: to keep going, to keep pushing for a better life for their sons and daughters.

The people of Haiti have taught me more in 18 months than I have learned in decades of work in this field. They have shown me that even the most devastated community is still a community. They have shown me that individuals — even when completely displaced from family, home and hope — can and will get up every day and make their lives better. It may be almost unperceivable at times, but a willingness to continue to improve day after day means even mountains of rubble can be moved and communities and neighborhoods can be rebuilt.

There is a lesson in this for all of us. The human spirit is a remarkably powerful force, one not easily destroyed. The earth may shake, buildings may fall, but the human spirit continues — especially in Haiti.

This blog post originally appeared on the HFH International website.

Joseph Phénol Henrilus works for Habitat in Cabaret, Haiti

Joseph Phénol Henrilus is one of the many workers hired to help Habitat improve the lives of earthquake-affected families by building transitional shelters. Working in Habitat’s workshop in Cabaret, Joseph preps the steel anchors for each shelter.

In a nation with an unemployment rate of 60 percent where more than 70 percent of the population live on less than the equivalent of $US2 per day, job opportunities are a crucial part of rebuilding.

Habitat is helping to build long-term economic growth and sustainability – in the last two years, Habitat has created jobs for more than 700 Haitians like Joseph.  It has also provided training for 4,450 individuals and beneficiary family members in construction techniques, financial literacy, damage assessments disaster risk reduction and business development.

To prepare him for his new job, Joseph, a father of six and a Habitat homeowner since 2001, was trained by Habitat through its business and technical skills training project. Under the project, Habitat established three Building Training Centers and delivered entrepreneurial and vocational construction training to small businesses and individuals.

Joseph’s house was not damaged by the earthquake, but many of his relatives were affected. “I don’t have any money to lend, but each steel anchor I bend and cut is a big step I make to help move a relative into a new home. My priority is a human one,” he explained.

In Habitat’s Bercy Village in Cabaret, it seems everyone knows Joseph. As a Habitat homeowner and a skilled construction worker, he has built many strong relationships. “I do like to connect with people,” he said.

Cabaret is one of three cities in Haiti where Habitat is focusing its earthquake recovery efforts. Building on its more than two-decade presence in the city, Habitat is conducting house damage assessments, building transitional shelters and latrines, and repairing homes.

It’s fair to say that in Ireland today the majority of young people between the ages of twenty and twenty-five have probably done or are currently doing internships. In a climate where jobs are scare internships have become just another rung on the career ladder. Unfortunately, for many out there internships can fail to provide the real hands-on experience a glossy eyed graduate might have hoped for. The problem is that many internships are just plain boring.

Days can tick along tediously while the once enthusiastic intern spends their time refreshing their Facebook feed, reading news websites and writing emails to friends.

As an intern with Habitat for Humanity Ireland, however, I am happy to report that this is certainly not the case.

At Habitat for Humanity Ireland you will not be bored. Boredom is not a word we use in our office or are ever likely to. When you are working for one of the world’s leading organisations in the fight against poverty housing, there is little time to be bored. In this internship, when I use Facebook it’s to promote a Habitat build in Ethiopia or Zambia or any one of the 90 countries in which we operate. When I’m reading the news it’s to keep up to date with development issues or to learn about housing problems in Ireland. I don’t write emails to friends, I write letters to government ministers asking them to support us on our mission to provide better housing for those in need.

These are just a few of the many and varied tasks that I am involved in at Habitat for Humanity Ireland. Some days I am working on updating our website, other days I am drafting press releases about our new projects renovating homes in Dublin. I could be researching aid efficiency or emailing volunteers to thank them for their work.

With so much to do, Habitat provides an environment where an intern can really learn. Our team is small and our office is smaller. This means that I get to work closely with all members of staff. While my role is in communications I am constantly learning from all other departments – whether it be about the logistics of sending volunteers overseas or organising fundraising events. Every day I am invited to meetings with various staff members where I have gained a priceless insight into just how a non-profit organisation works.

From both a communications perspective and the perspective of someone who (thanks to my work at Habitat) knows they want to pursue a career in the non-profit sector, this internship has been an invaluable experience. If you want a challenging role in an exciting and dynamic organisation, if you want to gain the skills you need to enter into the professional world and if you want to feel like what you’re doing is making a difference, then this internship is definitely for you. If you just want to make tea, you better apply elsewhere.

As part of Habitat for Humanity’s earthquake recovery efforts in Haiti, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn rolled up their sleeves with 500 other volunteers from around the world on a Habitat build in Leogane, 18 miles west of the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince.

The weeklong build, which was part of Habitat’s 28th annual Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, constructed 100 homes in five days in partnership with earthquake-affected families.

The Carters are no strangers to volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. Since 1984, the couple have worked annually on Habitat builds or renovation projects in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Hungary, South Africa, South Korea, India, the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, China, Laos, Vietnam and this year in Haiti.

“When we see the devastation that took place, we are compelled to act and are determined to assist the Haitian people rebuild their communities,” said President Carter.

In the lead up to the Carter build which took place in November of last year, Habitat partnered with Irish NGO Haven to build an initial 50 houses.

Habitat homeowner Rosette Louis working onsite at during the Carter build.

Rosette Louis, 70, is one of the homeowners that built alongside the Carters. Before the build she shared a tiny temporary shelter made of warn tarps with three of her four grown children. “I had nowhere else to go,” she said. During the day, as temperatures made living in the tent unbearable, her children went out in search of work – anything to help the family survive.

When asked how she felt about owning her own house, Rosette replied. “I’m really happy about the new house. “I’ll be happy to live there with my children and try to find a new way to survive.”

Overall Habitat built a total of 150 houses in Leogane in 2011 and the Carter Work Project is already scheduled to return to Haiti this year. The reason for the back-to-back builds is simple, according to President Carter: “Haiti is in the worst need that we’ve ever seen anywhere in the world.”

Watch this video to learn more about the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project in Haiti:

Marie Nicole Sanon’s home in Léogâne, Haiti, was destroyed by the earthquake of January 12^th 2010. Here is her story:

Marie Nicole Sanon in front of her new Habitat home.

Marie Nicole Sanon, 34, stands proudly in front of her Habitat upgradable shelter. It wasn’t that long ago when she and her three children lived in a tent made of scraps of bed sheets.

“After the earthquake, I thought life was over and I would never own a decent place to live with my children,” Marie Nicole said. “I had no choice and settled in my little tent of sheets supported by wood sticks. We had to squeeze like fish at the market to sleep at night.”

Living in the tent was tough. It was extremely hot during the day and cold at night. When the rains and the wind came, Marie Nicole and her children were forced to stay awake at night to hold up the supports of their flimsy shelter. They suffered through many sleepless nights. For nearly a year, she and her children endured the hardship.

In November 2010, Marie Nicole and her family moved into their new Habitat upgradable shelter in Léogâne, an area of Haiti where 90 percent of homes were damaged or destroyed by the 2010 earthquake.

“Now I’m not worried about the wind and rains. I can sleep with both eyes closed, and my children will grow in a better environment – cleaner and safer,” said Marie Nicole, who now earns a living as a merchant.

The Habitat upgradable shelter is a permanent housing solution with total living space of approximately 250 square feet, including the front porch. Habitat is  helping other families like the Sanons by conducting damage assessments, repairing homes, building and upgrading transitional shelters, providing water and sanitary solutions, and implementing training programs in Léogâne.

Two years after the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010, Habitat for Humanity’s five-year disaster recovery programme has helped more than 40,000 families or approximately 200,000 individuals in Port-au-Prince, Léogâne and Cabaret.

As part of its effort to provide 50,000 families with pathways to permanent housing in Haiti, Habitat has used a number of different housing solutions to provide improved housing for Haitians.

Habitat's work in Haiti (Click to enlarge)

Habitat has distributed emergency shelter kits to more than 24,500 families. The kits include tools—hammers, pliers, chisels, work gloves, rope and tarps—that have allowed Haitians to clean up debris, make basic repairs and create emergency shelter. In addition, 3,300 emergency shelter kits have been stockpiled, ready to distribute quickly whenever disaster strikes again.

Over 4,000 transitional and upgradable shelters have been provided for families. Transitional shelters are temporary housing solutions provided on land without secure tenure. Transitional shelters are constructed so they can be dismantled easily and relocated.

Upgradable shelters are housing solutions that feature a timber frame, pressure-treated plywood side walls with a permanent concrete perimeter foundation, corrugated metalroof and traditional front porch. The structure is built so that concrete blocks can be added later, as the family’s situation improves.

Habitat has constructed permanent core houses for 150 families in Léogâne in the Santo community of Léogâne where nearly 80 to 90 percent of buildings were damaged or destroyed. The core house can be expanded as the needs of the family grow and each family will receive construction training and assistance from our Habitat Resource Center to help in the expansion process. A compost latrine is provided for each house.

Habitat has also repaired and rehabilitated homes for more than 350 families in Cabaret and Léogâne and completed rapid and detailed damage assessments for more than 12,000 families in Port-au-Prince, Cabaret and Léogâne.

At Habitat for Humanity , we need your help to continue this work. Click here to donate today.

The eighth and final Millennium Development Goal (MDG8) is to “develop a global partnership for development”. This goal is integrated into the very core of all Habitat for Humanity projects. We work alongside volunteers, local people, local governments, our homeowner families and whole communities, forging strategic and long lasting partnerships for development with every home we build.

Habitat for Humanity Ireland works in many countries across the globe, including Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Zambia, Mozambique and El Salvador. The often unacknowledged ‘groundwork’ necessary to align key government agencies, secure tenure and mobilise local leadership before a Habitat for Humanity build can commence in any of these countries plays a significant role in establishing a commitment through partnerships at both the local and national level to good governance, development and poverty reduction.

One of the targets of this MDG is “to address the special needs of the least developed countries”. Each Habitat build is tailored specifically to the country it is taking place in e.g. in Zambia, a country where 980,000 people are living with HIV/AIDs, our Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) programme helps communities affected by this disease (see MDG6). Another target of this MDG is to “develop and implement strategies for decent and productive work for youth”. As already noted in our blog post on MDG1 Habitat for Humanity programmes include training for young people in construction skills.

Overall, the community-based participatory model that Habitat for Humanity uses to address the issue of poverty housing within the developing world, places our organisation at the centre of the global strategic agenda to address the needs of developing countries through transforming and empowering communities.

To find out more about the work of Habitat for Humanity Ireland, check out our Vision, Mission and Principles section.