The people of Haiti urgently need shelters capable of resisting the coming hurricane season.
The earthquake of 12th January left hundreds of thousands - perhaps even a million - people without shelter. The first storms of the rainy season have already begun and the most vulnerable people urgently need a roof over their heads. Handicap International has already distributed tents and shelter boxes* to 1,000 families in the areas of Petit-Goâve and Mornes. Containing basic equipment for people who have lost everything, the shelter boxes we distributed were supplied by the Rotary Club.
The next phase will consist of building scalable semi-temporary shelters. At least 200 will be built over the next few days. They will need to immediately stand up to the hurricane season, which starts in early August, and to last until a permanent home can be built.
Covered with a sheet metal roof designed to resist gusts of wind, they will have a wooden base and a raised floor equipped with a ramp for easy access. For the sake of speed, the walls will initially be made from plastic sheets and woven mats. These temporary walls will then be replaced by more durable materials to create longer-lasting and more comfortable shelters.
These shelters are small houses measuring around 20 square metres, which we will provide to the most vulnerable families. These families will help build these shelters to ensure they take ownership of them and are able to move them to another site if necessary.
* Shelter boxes are small containers that are easy to transport and consist of a tent for 10 people, floor mats, blankets, a multi-fuel stove, cooking utensils, liquid containers, a water purification system, and tools including a saw, an axe, a spade, rope, mosquito nets, and even an activity pack for children.
> More information about our response to the earthquake in Haiti
