We consulted with members of the Natural Building Network to find a non-profit organization that we felt could put the funds raised to most effective use aiding Haitians with long term solutions. We're excited to have found Kleiwerks International as after significant discussion we're convinced their experience and comittment will make our collective donations go far in Haiti.

The funds raised via Hikefor will be used to finance a building/education project in Haiti by Kleiwerks International. Funds will specifically finance the following:

• Training of Haitian leadership trainers
• Haitian architect re: building design
• Site preparation and construction
• Building materials

An introduction to Kleiwerks International

Community expectations:

Training:

Project:

Design:

Materials:

Live updates:

Haiti Sustainable Building Project

The way our programs work, and the most empowering approach we can take in Haiti (and elsewhere) is to engage the community in defining their own priorities. Once funding is available, community groups will gather to determine which project will serve them best based on the parameters laid out below. I hope the description of our process (below) helps donors understand this project's dedication to be an empowering process for the local people.

Projects, programs, and participants

Kleiwerks International's building projects serve significant community needs that local community members determine themselves. The training programs help community groups build their own capacity to serve themselves vs. perpetuating a "hand-out" victim mentality. The training participants are leaders of local orphanages, schools, churches, and other groups who will replicate and share what they learn in the training with their respective communities.

Values

• Our commitment, first and foremost, is to an uplifting community-building process that creates connectivity and cooperation vs. competition for resources and a "hand-out" victim mentality.


• The building that gets constructed is based on what local groups determine will serve their community's greatest good.


• "Stakeholders" are the Haitian women, men, and youth leaders who live and work in the local community.


• Project selection is based on a structure that serves the greater good, is replicable, affordable, uses locally-available materials, can be completed within the means of the program budget and timeline, and create replicable models that improve local building knowledge.


• Program and project results are experienced directly by the participants, and their community-at-large, while also serving long-term needs.


• Follow-up projects that training participants will create in their respective communities are identified by their community beforehand so that there are clear next steps for leadership, community engagement, and replication of building technologies.

Process

Because of our existing community connections, stakeholders have already been identified and the relationships are established. This enables us to begin right away with Step 1:

1. 1/2 day -- Community Stakeholder Meeting, including representatives from local schools, orphanages, churches, and other community groups (by end of November)


2. 2-weeks -- Project identification and design, and Training participant selection process (by mid-December)


3. 5-7 days -- Training program and Project construction (begins early January)


4. Documentation (ongoing)

Kevin Rowell, Situation in Haiti, June 2010

Here's an example of one effective building technique which takes little more than earth and burlap bags.

It takes time to assess the right solutions considering many factors including availability of local resources, cultural considerations, weather patterns, etc. The Natural Building Network is working with relief organizations such as Builders Without Borders, Engineers Without Borders, Groundswell International, Permaculture Haiti and the Permaculture Relief Corps to implement effective housing solutions in Haiti. .