Thursday, April 14, 2011

Cite Soleil, Haiti: Working on the project and touring the area

Another great day in Cite Soleil. Some participants had to stay behind today; Dan and Richard took the day off to rest and nurse their intestinal problems and Diana is still unable to walk without assistance as she injured her lower back last week while carrying bricks. However, Tony, Raymond and I loaded ourselves and our gear into the van and headed back to the work site where we met Tammy, Keri and Brad (our host partner and her workers). Tammy took the new arrivals, Brad and I, on a walkabout to see the water distribution center that "Help Tammy Help Haiti" constructed. It's an impressive structure, illustrated with graphics, and six spigots controlled by an inside tap, that serves potable water several times a week at no cost to the families. There are other water distribution sites in Cite Soleil, but they charge a fee for each water bucket.

Down below there is a picture showing Tammy and Keri standing in front of their structure. The ladder which we climbed to the top is on the right. From the top we had a panoramic view of this sector of the city and a view of the ocean. We then climbed down the ladder and walked through many streets to the newly constructed medical clinic. It is ready with four examination rooms, two on the lower level for patients who cannot negotiate the stairs and two on the top. Tammy said staff will be hired when enough funds are gathered for the first year and an annual income to ensure the clinic will remain open. There is a green steel gate provides night time security.

We returned to the rest of the volunteers and spent the rest of the day forming up the reinforcements around the top of one of the homes we are building and then mixed concrete and poured it into the rebar. The day was complete and we returned, dusty, sweaty and looking forward to a dip in the pool.

Cam Grant
DWC Participant

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