Haiti Permanent Housing Efforts Bearing Fruit

Massive tent camps. Rampant cholera outbreaks. Civil unrest.

Despite the many obstacles to rebuilding Haiti after last year’s massive earthquake, seeds of hope in the form of permanent housing are starting to sprout up.

Fifteen families have been able to move out of the tent camps, away from disease and destruction, into simple decent solid homes through the work of the Fuller Center, a non-profit ecumenical Christian housing ministry working to eliminate poverty housing worldwide.

“It’s been devastating to see the suffering and destruction,” says Heather Nozea who’s been on the ground in Haiti with her husband, Gerson, helping build homes with The Fuller Center. “But I feel great joy that we’ve been able to help these families and plans are underway to help many more families in the future.”

Nine of the 15 Fuller Center homes were built in Leogane, four in Saint Ard, and another two in Bellanton. The homes were built using earthquake- and hurricane-resistant techniques.

“All too often we have seen how temporary housing becomes the slums of the future,” says Fuller Center President David Snell. “Our focus is to provide permanent housing solutions.”

The Fuller Center is collaborating with numerous organizations including Homes from the Heart, Fe y Alegria Haiti, Baptist World Alliance, Lott Carey, Grace International, Growing Hope for Haiti, Sundouloi Ministries, Inc. and the University of Notre Dame.

In addition, the Haiti Housing Network—a partnership of The Fuller Center, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Conscience International, and the Baptist General Convention of Texas—plans to construct 1,000 houses in the next three years.

Is enough being done to help Haiti a year later? What more can Christians or should Christians do?