Building Codes in Haiti

This came up in my email from the State Department, and then I also was talking to some people here about how there is a new "building code book" in Haiti. The book mentions requirements that buildings will have in order to ensure the structures are safe.

Now the question is... Will people follow them? I know we will at Espwa.

U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince issued the following Warden Message on January 28, 2011:

The U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince is issuing this Warden Message to inform the U.S. citizen community in Haiti that it is difficult to verify if buildings here are constructed to U.S. or other international standards. Further, the resource capability of the Haitian Government to certify structural standards and to otherwise enforce particular building codes is very limited. Generally, the public must rely upon certifications by the builders and architects themselves, or third party engineering consultants.

Following the earthquake, the Department of State’s Overseas Building Office (OBO) performed limited visual inspections of certain private structures frequented by official and non-official Americans, to observe the condition of buildings following the earthquake and of any subsequent repairs undertaken by the owners. These visits were observational only and cannot be used to substitute for a formal structural evaluation process.

Neither the Embassy nor OBO has made an official determination that any school in Haiti meets or does not meet U.S. or international building standards. OBO is not able to make official determinations about the safety of foreign schools. In Haiti, as at other posts worldwide, OBO relies upon the owners of private structures, including schools, to certify the seismic and structural integrity of their buildings.

TOMS for Consolation Center

Long time friend, Edy Constant started his own girls orphanage not too long ago. We partner with him as often as we can. We share food, clothing, and offer assistance in other areas when we can, and Edy does the same. Recently, we were able to provide his younger girls with TOMS Shoes.

Nancy, Sandey and I had such a great time with the girls. Nancy painted nails while Sandey and I "fit feet."

It's funny because there are so many people so eager to help Haiti, and yet, nobody wants to collaborate. Being here as long as I have, I have met many, many people, all with good intentions and hopes for Haiti. I have met people wanting to start a business in Haiti to boost the economy, I have met people wanting to work on the agriculture in Haiti, and I have met people wanting to start their own orphanages in Haiti. All of these people have big hearts, otherwise they wouldn't be here.

Unfortunately, the majority of these groups want to be THE group that saves Haiti. Unfortunately, the majority of these groups think they know what is best for the country and people of Haiti without really spending time learning about the culture, other than what they see and hear in the news or their short visits. Unfortunately, ego gets in the way of many of these groups, and eventually they fall.

The thing I love about visiting Edy and his girls is that he has vision. He works with the people in his community, as well as in the greater Les Cayes area, trying to connect others and collaborate. Much like Father Marc and Espwa, he doesn't have ego. He doesn't try to "save Haiti". He does what he can do as he can do it. And that is why he is successful.

"tet ansamn, n'ap rive." Heads together and we will prosper. That is what Haiti, and all well intentioned people need to remember.

New Website

Check out the new Free the Kids website, and see these two little beauties and more!

www.freethekids.org

A Day Trip With Friends

This day trip is making it onto the blog a little late... but better late than never, right?

While Nancy and Sandey were here, we took a day trip with our Espwa Children up the coast to Aux Coteaux. The trip was to celebrate a job well done for our children that participated in the Espwa Nan Nwel Christmas Show. It was such a great day, and something that we are not able to do very often with the children. My favorite part about this trip (being that I am a teacher, so by default a natural learner) is that we didn't take the children on a field trip to the beach to play and sunbathe, we took them on a field trip to educate them.

Aux Coteaux is up the western coast, about an hour and a half away from Les Cayes. The city is relatively small, but one of the larger in that area. There is a monument there called the "500 mach"- the Five Hundred Steps. This monument is literally 500 steps built into the side of the mountain that leads up to a statue of Mary and Jesus on the cross. Along the way are signs with religious "food for thought".

Once we finally reached the top... Nancy and I were a little slower than Sandey and the boys... the view was unbelievably beautiful and peaceful.

I am also happy to announce that though they are not pictured, all of our Children and Chaperones made it to the top as well. Some of the little ones even ran up barefoot! (When I asked them why barefoot they said it was because they didn't have the shoes to hold them back... whatever.)

To celebrate making it to the top of 500 steps, we had a huge soccer match/cook out at a local school yard- complete with DJ Tigre (our driver). Some of the older guys decided to take on the "locals"... and of course won!

Overall, and I don't think Nancy and Sandey will argue, it was a really, really great day.

In a Good Mood

I'm in such a good mood, and haven't been able to figure out why...
I just realized... wouldn't you be in a good mood if you got to see these little faces every day?
Sandey, Farrah and Gerda miss you!

Our Little Superstar

If you don't recognize this face- WAKE UP!!

This is Platel. Our little superstar singer/songwriter. He is 11, and wrote an absolutely beautiful song about his country. It is on YouTube, so check it out if you haven't. (I would attach it but the Internet won't let me.)

Platel has so much talent that he has even turned a few heads in the States. My dear friend Mikey is working on teaching his music students his song, and also composed the music to go with the song. We are trying to get his song to turn some major heads... Usher? Wyclef?...

My only requirement for this to happen- he is not allowed to become a child pop star and forget about the country he wrote about.

Copy and Paste this link to see his video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8crkfR5fNg

Website Update

Many of you know, and some of you don't...

Amanda and I started our own non-profit organization last year- EDUplus Inc.
Our main purpose is to assist Pwoje Espwa Sud, especially in the areas of education and transitional youth.
We are still small, and hope to stay that way for the time being, but we are proud of it.
We have some amazing friends, and friends of friends, that are supporting our cause and helping us launch our new endeavor.

I updated the website today- please check it out, and make a donation if you wish. ALL of the money goes to support the organization we know and love- Pwoje Espwa Sud.

www.eduplushaiti.com

xoxo