Laura
ABOUT THIS PROJECT
Because we cannot currently send Global Builders volunteer teams to Haiti, more local laborers are needed to help The Fuller Center of Pignon, Haiti to continue its important mission. To that end, 20 locals will be trained in the arts of construction and masonry while building homes for five families who are currently living in terrible conditions. These trainees can then use their skills to help The Fuller Center or to embark upon a new career.
A message from our president and co-founder, David Snell
Few leaders are as quietly effective as my friend Geral Joseph, who keeps getting Fuller Center homes built in the Haitian community of Pignon despite the turmoil that has gripped his country.
Even when the country’s problems started preventing us from sending Global Builders volunteers a few years ago, he worked with local families and laborers to keep building so that Pignon (about three hours north of chaotic Port-au-Prince) continues to shine a rare beacon of hope where it is so desperately needed.
Geral also is an educator and leader of a local school. It was in that role that he witnessed what we’ve known for many years — children do better in school when they have a simple, decent place to live. That’s when this unassuming man of deep faith came to us with the hopes of bringing The Fuller Center to Pignon. We are thankful to be associated with this project.
He has seen some incredibly dire living conditions through the years, but a recent site visit brought him to tears. It was the family of taxi driver Pedro, farmer/teacher Yviona and their two children — Pedro Jr. (10) and Laura (7), students at Geral’s school.
“Mr. Geral, are you going to build a good house for us?” Laura asked him. “If you do, I will bring you some candy.”
Through tears, Geral simply said, “Absolutely.”
We must make this dream come true for Laura’s family, so that they can join the 135 other families in Pignon who’ve already made the transition from poverty housing to owning a simple, decent and safe home. We also have many more families like Laura’s who are in dire need of a similar hand-up.
To that end, Geral has come up with another great idea. He wants to build five homes for five hard-working families this summer — including Laura’s — and use the five-home project to train 20 locals in the art of construction and masonry. It will provide more local laborer options to continue The Fuller Center’s work, but these trainees also will have more employable skills to further support their families in an area where most residents live on less than $2 per day.
We invite you to join us in this effort! And I’ve got some great news! What started as an “5 homes/20 trainees” project is growing thanks to two anonymous donors who are providing matching gifts of $20,000 each. This means the first $40,000 in donations from you and other generous supporters will be doubled! With a new goal of $80,000, we can still train 20 locals in Pignon, but we also will be able to build a dozen homes by the end of the year! Of course, if we surpass that goal, we will simply build even more homes in Pignon and train even more Haitians to help them support their families and find gainful employment.
The living conditions Laura’s family faces are common for those in Pignon who have yet to partner with The Fuller Center. Their stories also are similar to what Laura’s father told Geral:
“I’m ashamed to show you where I’m living with my children who cry at night because of bugs and mosquitoes and sometimes rain water,” Pedro said. “Living in a tree would be better.”
Let’s get Laura’s house built! Let’s build more homes and train more workers! Let’s make sure Geral Joseph gets the sweetest candy delivery ever!
United in Faith, Compassion, and Hope,
