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Hope in Haiti

Update on Houses of Hope in “Great South” of Haiti, following the August 2021 earthquake:

(Click on the video for a quick update from HFI Haiti Co-director, Rene Lako)

On August 14, 2021, a 7.2 earthquake struck southern Haiti, with the epicenter very close to the town of Baraderes, in the Nippes district.  Our local Hope Force International (HFI) team left early the next morning with relief supplies for the “Great South” as the southern peninsula is often called. The initial focus was immediate relief and food supplies — especially tarps, which served as a temporary shelter from the elements. With so many small and traditional rural homes destroyed or heavily damaged, Hope Force shifted attention to the provision of housing.

According to an August 27, 2021 UN Relief web report, the following damages were reported:

Click here to read the UN's full report.

After the massive earthquake of 2010, HFI gained experience in building pre-fab “Maxima” homes in the area of Sous Savanne, Gressier, where HFI is based.  In various fund-raising efforts within the USA and The Netherlands, HFI was able to purchase a total of 30 Maxima home kits for the “Great South.”

Hope Force dedicated the new homes and celebrated with the beneficiaries on April 24th.

The local HFI team, in collaboration with local contacts and pastors, selected beneficiaries. The decision process has been based on vulnerability; in general, women (or families) with one or more children with heavily damaged or destroyed homes have priority.  The homes are built on land owned by the new homeowner.

In conjunction with the work in Baraderes, Hope Force served the community of Cavaillon by building homes there as well. The team worked to build another 12 homes, bringing the total of completed houses to 22 as of May 20th. Meanwhile, we are preparing for the final two homes to be built in the Cavaillon area.

But we’re not finished yet.

Hope Force plans to build nine more homes in the area of Les Cayes / Port Salut, in collaboration with Restavek Freedom — the organization we first partnered with right after the earthquake — bringing the total to 34 homes. Ten months after the earthquake, there is still a staggering unmet need for housing.  Each prefab kit costs $6,500.  This price includes materials, transportation, pouring the slab, erecting the unit, painting, etc.

Click on the video to the right to hear the story of the "Didi" family, who received a "House of Hope" after nearly dying from the earthquake.

We invite you to join us in this expression of restorative compassion by becoming a financial partner in this critical endeavor.  Thank you!