Published Tue, Aug 31, 21.
Written by Rebecca Honorat.
Faustin Home Rebuild
This project was proposed to Alongside’s Board in August, shortly before the earthquake hit the southwest peninsula on August 14th.
While we are currently focusing our relief efforts on helping families in the southwest peninsula we don’t want this project to get sidelined.
Dieuvel’homme (Father) and Jaqueline (Mother) have seven children (four sons & three daughters) who were all born in the rural community of Tetebef. The small community is located in the mountains south of Grand Goave and the family’s livelihood is a garden during the rainy season. When they have produce to sell they bring them down the mountain on a donkey and sell them in the market in Grand Goave. The oldest three children were put in a children home when they were old enough to go to school and those three have now graduated and are living independently. The younger four are still living at home with their parents.
When the earthquake rocked Haiti on January 12, 2010 the family home in Tetebef was completely destroyed. It was too difficult to get building materials up the mountain so they relocated to a small plot of land that they had in Grand Goave. They were able to patch together a temporary shelter using a variety of supplies that were given to them by family & neighbors. Dieuvel’homme still commutes regularly to Tetebef to manage the garden and the family goes up together at harvest time.
The Faustins have been able to make small improvements, including a tin roof, but eleven years later they are still living in a temporary shelter.
One of their sons, Emmanuel, approached us for help as the walls are no longer secure and there are many places where a hanging bed sheet is the only barrier. Roaming animals have entered the shelter at night and the younger siblings have been bitten by dangerous critters.
We would like to raise $3000 to help them build a solid foundation, brick walls and a new roof. We will allow the family to design the structure according to their needs and ensure they could seamlessly add additional rooms in the future. If additional funds are raised we will expand the project by adding an additional room now, or some furnishings.