Project: Haiti Rebuild Project

Location: Port-Au-Prince, Haiti

Length of Stay: 10 days

2012 Dates:

April 18 - 28  

Cost: Volunteers are responsible for their own airfare.  Food, lodging and in-country transportation are provided free of charge.

Maximum Team Size: 10  Note: This project is open to both teams and individuals.

Skills Needed: Construction experience is helpful, but not necessary.  Both skilled and unskilled volunteers are welcome. 

Minimum Age:  Volunteers must be at least 18 years old.

Medical Considerations: Volunteers must be in excellent health and able to work in hot humid climates doing strenuous activity.  We will not be able to accommodate food allergies or special dietary needs or provide refrigeration for medication.

Project Description: Volunteers will assist in rebuilding community centers, schools, orphanages, churches, or other structures.

Background: On January 12, 2010, at approximately 16:53 local time, a 7.0 Mw earthquake occurred in Haiti, with an epicenter near the town of Léogâne, approximately 25 km (16 miles) west of Port-au-Prince.  By January 24, at least 52 aftershocks measuring 4.5 or greater had been recorded.  An estimated three million people were affected by the quake.   Samaritan’s Purse immediately responded to the Haiti earthquake, in what has become one of the largest organizational disaster responses to date.   Since the earthquake, SP has rotated hundreds of trained emergency responders into Haiti who are skilled in medicine, heavy equipment operations, water and sanitation, engineering, logistics and management, among other professions.  To address the staggering shelter needs, SP is providing 7,500 transitional shelters for displaced persons.    In addition, SP continues to provide life-saving assistance in the distribution of food, non-food items (NFIs), and health, water, sanitation and hygiene interventions for those in need.  Water filters, bladders and tap stands were provided to communities in need of potable water, each system providing thousands of liters of clean water per day.  SP is working with a local church network of 2,000 churches to distribute assistance and share the Gospel.