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Dekagoldwingers
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# Posted: 22 Feb 2014 00:58 - Edited by: Dekagoldwingers
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My wife and have recently returned from our 4th Habitat build of a "Cabin" in places where housing is required. We have found this experience to be fulfilling and inspiring wherever we travel to assist people in building their own residences. This build was in El Salvador where we attended as part of a "Canadian" habitat team of 12 to assist a family in Usulatan to provide themselves with decent simple and affordable housing. Our project was a concrete block structure of 17' X 23' to house a family of 5. The family worked right alongside of us, and will repay Habitat para la Humanidad of El Salvador to finally own this home. We have also travelled to Haiti, Baffin Island, and New Orleans with HFH. And we have plans to attend many more builds in the future. If you desire a fulfilling experience that is unique in meeting and working with people around the world, I encourage you to consider such a trip.
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Dekagoldwingers
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# Posted: 22 Feb 2014 01:36
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Our team ranged in age from 25 years to 84 years. We carried blocks, mortar and concrete. We helped Kay blocks and filled in cracks between. We learned El Salvadorean Spanish and ate beans, tortillas and rice, and the national dish, Papusas. Two local masons took the lead in setting the blocks. We started on Monday morning with trenches in the ground and placed the fourteenth row of blocks in time for lunch on Friday. We toured around Usulatan and we met people in their own homes.
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ChuckDynasty
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# Posted: 22 Feb 2014 08:05
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Besides helping others it's a great way to learn how to build.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 22 Feb 2014 10:09
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DekaGoldWingers, what a noble thing you have done. As mentioned, its a great way to get experience to build your own cabin. 
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bldginsp
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# Posted: 22 Feb 2014 10:09
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Any pictures Deka?
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ErinsMom
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# Posted: 22 Feb 2014 13:06
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Dekagoldwingers
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# Posted: 22 Feb 2014 17:49
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Pictures are coming soon! Toyota, it's a great way to learn about new techniques. It's also a great way to meet new friends, both on the team and in other parts of the world.
Our build in Haiti was a Carter Work Project with president Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. We flew in from Atlanta with 625 other volunteers and built 100 homes in 1 week. The homes are tiny by our standards, just 12 x16. But they are well received by Haitians who have been living in tents and corrugated steel and cardboard. The Haitians worked along side us and were hired for weeks ahead to prefab and set up the area. Other charities like Haven from Ireland provided camp services for our Tent camp. They cooked us fabulous meals too! Still others provided water wells for each 8 -10 homes. It was an experience of a lifetime!
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Dekagoldwingers
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# Posted: 22 Feb 2014 19:28
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Pictures of our build.
Trenches for footings
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Wall at end of second day on build
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14 rows high on Friday at lunch
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Dekagoldwingers
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# Posted: 22 Feb 2014 19:33
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We build because we love the experience and because, it makes us travel to places we would never go otherwise. We have great memories and wonderful experiences. And we do an R & R trip along with each build. If you are interested in trip opportunities check out Habitat for Humanity(in Canada Habitat.ca) and look for the link Global Village
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Dekagoldwingers
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# Posted: 26 Feb 2014 00:26 - Edited by: Dekagoldwingers
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Here are the small homes we built in Haiti on the 2012 Carter Work project. The folks in blue t-shirts are Habitat volunteers. The 2 in the centre are President and Rosalynn Carter. The folks in green T-shirts are Haitians who worked with us and they will be receiving the homes we worked on. The folks in dark blue and purple are reps from Habitat Haiti providing translating and support.
12x16 home under construction
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Team Canada long with President and Rosalynn Carter
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Dekagoldwingers
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# Posted: 26 Feb 2014 00:35
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The 2 in orange shirts are our team leaders. Each team was responsible for the building of 2 homes during the week we were there.
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bldginsp
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# Posted: 26 Feb 2014 11:08
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Excellent, Deka. Did you get an opportunity to talk much with Carter or his wife?
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Dekagoldwingers
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# Posted: 26 Feb 2014 11:20
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The Carters visited every building site during the week, and spent time working alongside us. We had short conversations. They hosted a "fireside" chat one evening for our "activity" time. Each evening after supper there would be an "activity" time like a show put on by locals, a open air "shop" for souvenirs, a personal concert from Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood (also Habitat Builders), and presentations on Habitat in Haiti. We couldn't leave our tent compound due to security concerns so they kept us happy inside!
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chrisser
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# Posted: 3 Mar 2014 19:00
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I noticed the shutters in the pic.
Are those for hurricane protection? Security? Both?
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Dekagoldwingers
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# Posted: 3 Mar 2014 22:00
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They are both hurricane protection and security. We did not install glass, only shutters. The issues in Haiti are security and protection from weather.
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Dekagoldwingers
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# Posted: 4 Mar 2014 19:54
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In addition, habitat will install solar powered street lighting, and another group has already installed a hand pump well for every 8 houses. Each house also gets a latrine and outdoor shower. These are big improvements for Haitians.
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