Costa Rican volunteers build alongside President Carter and his wife during Habitat for Humanity’s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project
LÉOGÂNE, Haiti (November 27, 2012) – Costa Rican volunteers are building permanent houses in Haiti, alongside ex-President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, during Habitat for Humanity’s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project.
Throughout this week, Sebastian Castro, Mauricio Artiñano, Ricardo Cerdas and Vivian Pastor will build homes in Léogâne during the 29th annual Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project. Together with hundreds of volunteers from the United States, Ireland, Canada and other countries from around the world, the four “tico” volunteers will help build 100 permanent houses for Haitian families who suffer from precarious living conditions.
The houses are going up in the Santo community, roughly 18 miles from Port-au-Prince and considered the epicenter of the devastating 2010 earthquake.
This is the second consecutive year that the Carter couple has united with Habitat volunteers to build houses in Santo. Last year, more than 100 homes were built during the Carter Work Project. An additional 50 were built by volunteers from the Irish non-profit, Haven.
“We went to see the houses that were built during last year’s Carter Work Project, and it was incredible to see how beautiful they were—full of flowers and colors, as well as the mini-businesses that the families have started, and how happy they are in their new community,” said Mauricio Artiñano. “It is clear that these projects don’t just build houses, but also communities.”
The Santo community is part of Habitat for Humanity’s largest housing program in Haiti, financed by the Inter-American Development Bank Multilateral Investment Fund, Habitat for Humanity Holland (Samenwerkende Hulporganisaties SHO) and many other donors.
“We sincerely thank all the volunteers, sponsors and especially the Carters for their dedication to improving the lives of our Haitian partner families who are eager to have safe, decent homes,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International.
Habitat for Humanity has operated in Haiti for more than 28 years. In response to the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Haiti in 2010, Habitat initiated a five-year plan to help 50,000 families. Since that time, more than 40,000 families in Port-au-Prince, Cabaret and Léogâne have been served through permanent core houses, transitional and upgradable shelters, repairs and rehabs, damage assessments and emergency shelter kits. Programs focused on land reform advocacy, urban reconstruction and training initiatives have benefitted thousands more.
About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International is a global nonprofit Christian housing organization that seeks to put God’s love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope. Since 1976, Habitat has served more than 500,000 families by welcoming people of all races, religions and nationalities to construct, rehabilitate or preserve homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions. For more information, to donate or to volunteer, please visit www.habitat.org, or follow us at www.facebook.com/habitat or at www.twitter.com/habitat_org or join Habitat’s blog community at www.habitat.org/blog.
About Habitat for Humanity Haiti
Habitat for Humanity has been at work in Haiti for 28 years and has provided housing solutions through a variety of initiatives, including new home construction, progressive building, home repairs and improvements and land reform advocacy. Habitat also builds capacity in construction skills, disaster risk reduction and financial literacy, and works in coordination with community and government agencies. To learn more, please visit habitat.org/Haiti, or follow us at www.facebook.com/Habitat for Humanity Haiti - Official Site or at www.twitter.com/habitatinhaiti.