Deirdre Conroy – Haven Blog

House, Home, Haven - sanctuary and shelter, all those things some of us take for granted are brought into searingly sharp relief here in one of the poorest parts of the world, and the poorest in the western hemisphere. Curiously ironic that in a region with no electric power, sanitation or weather-proof housing, I have instant wireless network from my handy netbook and can write this blog. That part of the technological miracle is courtesy of the incredible organisation and energy at the Haven Partnership village on the outskirts of Ounaminthe in northern Haiti, where I am part of a 270-strong group of volunteers who, after an 18 hour journey yesterday are now out on site beavering away as construction workers for the week in 38 degree humidity. As I am part of the Painting team, our mission is to paint the external walls of the 2-bed houses that are already constructed. There is such an enthusiastic rush for brushes and rollers that we are taking it in turns - about five volunteers to one wall, One house finished in our first hour!

The landscape that unfurled itself through our 4-hour bus journey from Puerta Plata in Dominican Republic and onward into Haiti revealed startling contrasts, from lush and fertile hilly plains, with charming to not so charming colourful homesteads and well fed cattle to an arid wasteland, with makeshift cabins and streets lit only by the odd candle where locals gathered to wind down after the heat of the day. When we reached the construction site, we were welcomed with music and song by the local community and their children, for whom these 300 houses are being built, by now there’s no going back - it’s sleeping bags, mozzie nets and all home comforts a long, long way away. In fairness to the team out here though, with minute resources they have managed to provide us with the kind of shelter that will be a luxury to our beneficiaries.