Haiti Education Foundation - Building a School

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Building a School

Père Albert, priest-in-charge of St. Matthias Parish, selects the sites and oversees the construction of all Haiti Education Foundation schools. The schools are placed in villages according to attendance and availability of funds. Labor is provided by men of the parish, enabling them to earn an income.
Currently, approximately 50% of HEF schools are permanent buildings. We hope someday they will all be permanent.

local workers help build schools

a temporary or "shelter" school,
made of sugar cane and palm leaves

a permanent school building,
made of concrete blocks

Schools are constructed of concrete blocks, and can range from 4 to 12 rooms. The larger buildings have 2 stories. The cost per room is approximately $2000 for supplies and labor.

water cistern for making blocks

The concrete blocks are 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 when it rains. Construction at some sites may seem slow by U.S. standards, because without water, work cannot proceed.

making concrete blocks for HEF building projects

blocks are formed at building site

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 and a kitchen and storage commissary. Some sites also include a church building.

early stage of construction

midway through construction

kitchen and commissary

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