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A year after the earthquake in Haiti

In central Haiti, in the city of Liancourt – Artibonite, the EcoSur team performs the first of its post-earthquake interventions. Achievements to date are a workshop that produces ferrocement panels for the construction of 60 basic units of housing, a school for builders and master builders, micro-concrete roof tile workshops as well as construction supervision of the Normal School of Liancourt.

The cultural differences and the difficult conditions encountered at the beginning became a rewarding experience. The lack of vehicles and electricity, as well as the language barrier, were the main obstacles for both EcoSur and the local partners.
Right from the beginning the attitude of the local population toward the EcoSur   people has always been good. The enriching relationships developed with the workers and staff complete the experience of South-South cooperation.

Victor Granja and Franklin Martinez, civil engineers of EcoSur in Nicaragua are responsible for assembly of EcoMaterials workshops, local training and supervision of construction works in the area of Liancourt.

Byron Bucardo (bookkeeper), also from Nicaragua, is responsible for the educational projects with young people affected by the earthquake, to set up workshops to make dry toilets as well as the school for trades that include masonry, carpentry and welding.

In Liancourt, construction has been completed of an EcoMaterials workshop currently producing ferrocement panels, PFC, with which it will build 60 core shelters to house people than now return to the countryside from the big cities affected by the quake.
The core selter is the nucleus of a progressive type of housing that begins with a room of 4 x 2.8 meters that provides an immediate and rapid response to the need for housing. The assembly of this basic nucleus of housing is quick and can be done by the same beneficiaries with the guidance of a trained foreman.

Parallel to construction of the core shelters, 14 young apprentices, men and women will be trained as future bricklayers and foremen. These young people will receive practical and theoretical education in the school. Their training will be supported by the Red EcoSur and local government institutions.

The EcoMaterials, ecological and economical building materials produced  locally, are used in the construction of the core shelters and reconstruction of houses affected. The PFC, micro-concrete roofing tiles and compressed earth blocks are among the materials than to be used.

Engineer Granja told us than because of the disaster it is often difficult to find building materials are usually readily available. For this same reason costs differ greatly, all of which affects the planning of the work and budget.

Besides the construction, reconstruction and education, Red EcoSur is researching the elimination and recycling of debris for its reuse for construction. This program has the support of the high level of CIDEM, a partner at Red Ecosur in Cuba.

EcoSolutions S.A. (ecosolutions.ecosur.org) who will run this project once concretized alliances with organizations as the United Nations Program for Development and the International Labour Organization.

EcoSur work could not be possible without the support of local members. In Liancourt, APPEL, "Association des Parents et des Professeurs d'Ecole de Liancourt", has given all necessary support to assemble the workshop production of Ecomaterials. In Port-au-Prince, "Aide a l'enfance in Haiti" is the cooperant for the education program.

The actions of Red EcoSur in Haiti began immediately after the earthquake and from June 1, 2010, the staff of Red EcoSur in Nicaragua is at work on the site.

The actions in Haiti are financed in part by the people of Glarus, Switzerland and the German organization DESWOS.
Red EcoSur is preparing for 2011 new projects and practical solutions to help rebuild. In the words of Engineer Victor Granja "We have all learned something in Haiti and is an experience that will continue to grow. So much to do but I am sure that today we reap what we sow "