HAITI STILL REBUILDING
After the devastating earthquake in Haiti the outpouring of support was amazing. However, time has passed and it is easy to forget that they are still rebuilding. If you would like to help the ongoing effort, you may do so. Thank you.
Construction Projects
The main focus of the Haiti Education Foundation is to provide scholarships for children to attend school.
There are two types of school structures in the areas that we serve; those that are temporary – usually a pavilion-type
structure with woven banana bark sides or permanent structures built from concrete blocks.
It
is our hope that all of our schools will one day be permanent structures. Just as building supply costs have
gone up here in the US, they have also increased in Haiti. The labor costs are very low – most labor is done
by the villagers where the school is being built. The average cost to build a 10 room school at this time ranges
between $45,000 and $60,000. The variance of the expense depends on the location of the school and the terrain
of the foundation. If the location is remote and trucks cannot deliver supplies, then they must be carried
in by individuals. 
Schools are constructed of concrete blocks and can range from 8 to 12 rooms. The larger buildings have 2 stories.
The concrete blocks are most often formed onsite. A water cistern is built first to collect water for mixing
concrete. Because these remote areas of Haiti lack water lines, water is collected primarily during the rainy
season.
Construction at some sites may seem slow by U.S. standards because without water, work cannot proceed.
After all the concrete blocks are made, they are set. Buildings have concrete floors and roofs with open-air
windows to provide circulation. A school site ideally includes a school building, kitchen and storage commissary. 
Some sites also include a church building. Those not having a church building meet inside the classrooms or
somewhere on the grounds. 
The school buildings represent much to the Haitian people. They are very proud to be able to have a place
for their children to learn and to worship. The school also serves as a safe haven during storms. To the people
of Haiti, the schools remind them of God’s love for them! |