Support a resilient future for Haiti Donations are 100% tax deductible.                                                        We stand at the threshold of a tremendous opportunity. Join us in creating a sustainable redevelopment paradigm!  Home page Photos Kleiwerks International Haiti Co-Laboratory  June 21, 2010 Interview with Kleiwerks International's Program Director on the Haiti Initiative June 11, 2010 How can Haiti's reconstruction lead to resilience April 22, 2010 11.5 billion dollars are allocated for the next three years of Haiti's redevelopment. Where will that money go? Over the next few months, the Haitian government will create guidelines determining how the billions will be used, including what types of building materials and technologies will be funded. Kleiwerks International is working NOW with the head of UN-Habitat to ensure that sustainable building and appropriate technologies are included in these guidelines so that the majority of Haitians can benefit from a redevelopment strategy that makes sense for them! Join us in creating a sustainable redevelopment paradigm! 1) What if the billions in funds supported the sustainable building and appropriate technologies that were most replicable, scalable, environmentally-sound, seismically-safe, and affordable for the majority of Haiti's people?       Think --> Billions in funds bringing sustainable building and appropriate technologies to the hands of the people, including bamboo; compressed earth blocks, wattle and daub; and other indigenous vernaculars.  The alternative is that the billions of dollars could go to foreign businesses to purchase industrialized materials that are polluting to the environment and unsustainable in the long-run. 2) How could regionally appropriate, culturally enhancing, community-powered building technologies change Haiti's future so that it is unlike its poverty-stricken past?     Imagine --> Earthen brick-making cooperatives supported by micro-finance; Rural trainings in sustainable building and appropriate technologies for Haitian leaders in coordination with the international NGO community; Permaculture-based demonstration clinics, orphanages, and community resource centers; Technical assistance that supports Haitian architects, engineers, and builders in the refinement of local vernacular; Haitian univiersities equipped with curriculum and expertise from around the world that teaches seismically-sound natural building practices; Regional reforestation based on bamboo production; and more. 3) What kind of example would this provide for other impoverished nations?        What works --> Sustainable building and appropriate technologies offer the rural poor everywhere dignified lives filled with hope. Together, through leadership development, hands-on education, demonstration projects, advocacy, and affiliated support, a brighter, more resilient future for Haiti's people can be ensured that creates a regenerative model for people everywhere. 4) How can those who want to, really help make a difference that will last for generations? Is there a leverage point that could transform how redevelopment happens in a way that aligns with our most desired outcome...a sustainable future for all?     YES! --> Kleiwerks International is working with the head of UN-Habitat to ensure that the government includes sustainable building and appropriate technologies in their guidelines so that the billions in redevelopment dollars supports a truly resilient future.   Please consider supporting Haiti's resilient future, today!  Modest to eye-popping amounts are all welcome and appreciated. Or send a check to: Kleiwerks International Memo: Sustainable Haiti 80 Buchanan Avenue Asheville, NC 28801 USA Home page A letter from the head of UN-Habitat  April 14, 2010  Port-au-Prince To whom it may concern: UN-Habitat is supporting the Haitian national government for developing a housing reconstruction strategy including building techniques and standards. For this effort, UN-Habitat is leading a technical working group bringing together other UN agencies, international NGOs, Haitian construction professionals together with the Ministry of Public Works.  In order, to design a strategy that will be adapted to the context of Haiti, it is important to understand the existing building techniques, current use of building materials (especially local building materials) and building skills. UN-Habitat is encouraging partner organizations such as Kleiwerks International to collect data about vernacular architecture types currently used in Haiti. There is a need to conduct research by teams from multiple organizations, so that information can be collated under the coordination of UN-Habitat.  Data collection tools are being developed through a joint effort of UN-Habitat and partner organizations including Kleiwerks International. The information to be collected includes: • How housing is built now  • Who is involved in building housing • Cost of the buildings • Building skills • General maintenance performed on buildings • Durability of materials as they are used now • Improvements stakeholders would like to see to the housing           • Longevity of structures • Other data as identified by the technical working group partners While large amounts of funding are currently being made available for emergency shelters, very little attention is given to support research that is essential for putting together a sound and sustainable housing reconstruction strategy and to support the government in making informed decisions. We strongly recommend that resources are made available to partners such as Kleiwerks International to contribute to this important effort.  Jean-Christophe Adrian Country Programme Manager UN-Habitat   Haïti Home page Help ensure that Haiti's redevelopment is sustainable.  Magnify the impact! Or send a check to: Kleiwerks International Memo: Sustainable Haiti 80 Buchanan Avenue Asheville, NC 28801 USA An appeal: Haiti reconstruction strategy development project   April 19, 2010   “While large amounts of funding are currently being made available for emergency shelters, very little attention is given to support research that is essential for putting together a sound and sustainable housing reconstruction strategy and to support the government in making informed decisions. We strongly recommend that resources are made available to partners such as Kleiwerks International to contribute to this important effort. ”  - Jean-Christophe Adrian, Country Program Manager of UN-Habitat   Dear Friends and Supporters,   Kleiwerks International, a sustainable building and appropriate technologies NGO, is part of a movement that seeks to build a resilient and sustainable Haiti, and we need your help.   You have the opportunity to dramatically change the redevelopment paradigm in Haiti. We stand at the threshold of a tremendous opportunity as Haiti, the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, begins to reconstruct itself. Kleiwerks International is now working with leaders on the ground, individuals personally affected by the earthquake, and partners from around the globe to ensure that the billions of dollars allotted for reconstruction support a plan that is based in a “sound and sustainable strategy.”   We are creating a new redevelopment paradigm. This paradigm redirects the billions in aid dollars that typically go to foreign businesses’ costly, industrialized, and environmentally degrading materials toward sustainable building technologies. Sustainable building technologies are based on local, renewable, seismically safe, affordable materials that work better for the majority of Haiti's women, children and men.   This relationship between the people and the buildings in which they live is the bedrock of a resilient redevelopment paradigm for Haiti.   We invite you to help us ensure that this opportunity is fully realized.   Kleiwerks International is strategically poised to help change the redevelopment paradigm in Haiti. Currently, Kleiwerks International has a team of seven people working on this project, three of whom are in Haiti (two are Haitian), as well as an actively engaged international network of sustainable building and appropriate technology experts. We are working closely with the United Nations and other partners assessing which building methods survived the earthquake, which didn't, and what can work better for the future. This assessment will guide the national redevelopment plan to promote, enable and support sustainable building techniques and materials.   This is significant because sustainable building is core to the local culture, but has been set aside as expensive, highly-processed, industrialized materials have been promoted that are out of sync with Haiti’s cultural context. For example, we know that the Haitian cultural value of sharing includes sharing building materials. To make these building materials “stretch” neighbors and friends mix expensive, highly-processed concrete with inexpensive sand. In an effort toward generosity, the unintended consequence is weakened building materials that led to the catastrophic outcomes we saw on the front pages of newspapers – crumbled buildings, trapping whole families in rubble.  By using sustainable building technologies that align with local cultural values, Haitian families will not only feel safer, but these economically viable and accessible solutions will help restore greater self-reliance and more dignity for the majority of the Haitian people.   The timing on this is critical. Over the next three months, Kleiwerks International’s work will inform and educate government officials who will create the guidelines determining where the billions of redevelopment dollars will be allocated. We invite you to join us to ensure that their guidelines include sustainable building technologies. Let’s take advantage of this powerful opportunity.   These guidelines will fundamentally define how Haiti will be rebuilt, and will ensure a long-term commitment to sustainable and safe building practices. By investing in this research and advocacy effort now, you are supporting the future of ALL other sustainable rebuilding projects in Haiti.   Your donation will leverage the investment of billions in funding, opening doors for local groups, businesses, orphanages, clinics, universities and other on-the-ground projects to receive ongoing support.    How you can participate in changing the redevelopment paradigm for Haiti. If you're like me, I find tangible projects easier to understand and get excited about than policy change and guidelines. In fact, this is why Kleiwerks International has worked directly on community-based projects for over ten years. In this case, I hope you agree that it is well worth using our resources to intervene in national policy at this critical time so that the macro-level support for thousands of other tangible, on-the-ground projects will be available, now and in the future.   Because redevelopment plans are being established as we speak, this effort seeks $169,150 in immediate funding. Please consider a gift to the sustainable future of Haiti by donating to Kleiwerks International. Send donations to: Kleiwerks International; Memo: Sustainable Haiti; 80 Buchanan Avenue; Asheville, NC 28801   Thank you for your interest and participation.   Sincerely,   Janell Kapoor Founding Director Kleiwerks International janell@kleiwerks.org 828.279.1955 Back to Main Page | Back to Top Stay tuned for updates and new workshop information. 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