Vebego Foundation donating €20.000,- to Habitat for Humanity for projects in Haiti

1. Voerendaal, July 2nd 2010
Vebego Foundation supports Haiti
A destructive earthquake on January 12th has forever changed the landscape of Haiti. After
five months the world is beyond more disasters but the victims are not forgotten by
Habitat for Humanity and the Vebego Foundation.
The costs of the reconstruction are 11.5 billion and the need is there. 1.5 million people
are homeless and families are separated. This means that shelter and housing are of the
biggest needs in Haiti. Habitat for Humanity has set itself the goal to help 50.000 families
in the coming five years. This is done by various projects to support the reconstruction.
The supply of ‘emergency shelter kits’ is one of the activities. With this set
inhabitants can renovate their own house. In total 21.000 kits were
distributed. This was one of the first activities after the disaster took place.
Together with this Habitat realizes ‘transitional homes’ to give people
shelter as soon as possible. A transitional home has a wooden or steel
frame and has a sanitary unit. This home is semi permanent so that it
easily can be displaced and used for a permanent ‘core home’. A
transitional home is earthquake resistant and costs about € 1.500,-.
Habitat is also building ‘core houses’. These are
simple, firm basic brick houses. These houses are
built in places where ground is available and where a
new community will arise. In a core house a family of
five persons can live and over time it is possible to
build extra rooms. With this house there is also a
separate sanitary unit. Besides building there are
more challenges like the acquisition of land, the
infrastructure and rebuilding the community. With all these activities Habitat is involved. A
core house costs about € 5.000,-. Besides building Habitat is involved in training local
people to help building the houses.
Together with Habitat the Vebego Foundation has looked how we can support the
reconstruction of Haiti. Ideally we want to organize a building trip to Haiti. Unfortunately in
short term this is impossible due to the economic, political and security situation. However
in order to help the board of the Vebego Foundation has decided for a financial donation of
€ 20.000,-. This money will go to the projects mentioned above. In addition we remain in
conversation with Habitat and together we strive to organize a (French) building trip to
Haiti as soon as circumstances permit. In this way we provide our goal to combine financial
donations with the active participation of our employees.
Want to know more about Habitat for Humanity, the situation in Haiti of the Vebego
Foundation visit: www.habitat.nl of www.vebegofoundation.nl