Haven is a non governmental, non political, non religious organisation working to build sustainable communities, through the provision of housing, and emergency relief by implementing community development programmes in Haiti.

What Haven does

Haven's focus is on shelter, water and sanitation, emergency relief and the provision of training. These programmes run throughout the year. By training, upskilling and employing local Haitian people Haven is creating jobs and encouraging local trade and industry. Schools, playgrounds, and commnuity buildings are key elements of Haven's community building projects.

Tuesday, 12th January, 2010 was a devastating day for Haiti and its people. The earthquake lasted just 42 seconds, during which time 230,000 people were killed, and 1.5 million people were made homeless, 75% of the buildings in the capital city of Port au Prince were reduced to rubble, including the Presidental Palace.

Haven responded to the disaster by focusing resources on providing those displaced by the earthquake with shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) solutions, attending relevant UN cluster meetings and creating partnerships with long established international aid organisations. 

Build It Weeks  

Twice a year Haven's Haitian workforce is joined on site by a team of volunteers who take part in an intensive 'Build It Week'. While in Haiti, volunteers live and work on the building site in extremely basic conditions, in an effort to build new homes for, and forge links with the local community. The team live in tents, sleep on camp beds, eat meals cooked by the volunteer catering team, and work long days, in tropical temperatures on the building site.

This October, more than 300 Haven volunteers will travel to Haiti for an intensive week-long 'Build It Week'. Volunteers are of all ages and come from all walks of life, but they are completing a housing project in one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere. The dates of travel are from Sartuday 29th October - Sunday 6th November.