MORE ABOUT HAITI
Habitat For Humanity
Several years ago, St. Mary Cathedral began the process to bring Habitat for Humanity, already existing in Haiti, to Pendus. Habitat for Humanity started in Haiti in 1982, with an affiliate near Port-au-Prince. Today Habitat for Humanity of Haiti has built more than 600 houses with affiliates in towns near the capital of Haiti, in the far south and in the Plateau Central. Due to the cost associated with running an office in mountainous Pendus and the difficulties to travel to this remote area, the national office of Habitat for Humanity could never satisfy our request to open a Habitat office in Pendus.
The national office in Port-au-Prince in concert with Habitat for Humanity International has now developed a new alliance strategy instead of affiliate offices, paving the way for the people of Pendus to contribute in the construction of their community under the pavilion of Habitat for Humanity. Once Pendus is approved by the national office of Habitat in Port-au-Prince, the office of Habitat for Humanity of Lafayette will request that part of the annual mandatory tithe money to Habitat for Humanity International be directed to Pendus. Other towns in Haiti are currently benefiting from that tithe money, which represents 10% of the value of every house the Lafayette office build in their community in Indiana.
The new alliance strategy required that the people of Pendus, or of any community for that matter desiring to participate in this new strategy, come together to form a non for profit organization, which must be recognized by the Federal Government of Haiti. Two other major requirements include:
1. A partnership between that non for profit organization with a community bank, preferably Fonkoze.
2. The capacity for that community organization to manage the affairs according to the norms and principles of Habitat for Humanity International.
To assist the people of Pendus to meet the new Habitat for Humanity criteria as defined by the national office of Haiti, the Saint Mary Haiti committee has hired a consultant, Henold Cetoute, under the supervision of Sister Jackie Picard, our medical coordinator in Gros Morne. Steps are being taken to begin construction during the Habitat for Humanity of Haiti 2009-2010 fiscal year.
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