* Bonnie recently returned from a short but very productive trip to Duchity. Two Washington, DC based architects- Ben and Lisa VanDusen- accompanied her to survey the site as Ben has very generously volunteered to design the community center! They also researched varieties of bamboo appropriate for construction and discovered a nearby resource. Approx. $2,500 will get a bamboo grove started- ready to be harvested in just a few years. ---------------------------------------------------------------
Acquiring a dump truck was another topic of discussion... hauling sand and supplies up the mountain is a significant expense- not only the vocational school construction, but for everyone in the region. A large truck would decrease VHP costs, and at the same time provide income from rental use. Lisa came home and has been researching the costs involved for a good used truck... $25,000- 30,000. (interested? Contact Bonnie at bonnie_rubenstein@yahoo.com or 301.379.4669). "We all enjoyed the trip immensely — the beauty of the area never fails to inspire and we met so many people from the village! We stayed in the new dorm- it is very comfortable!" --------------------------------------------------------------- * VHP has just received wonderful news from Sister’s of Mercy- they have funded us again for the next year to continue our Biosand Water Filter program! We are so grateful for the heartfelt work our Haitian partners are doing! In this time of challenging decisions regarding funding, we feel honored to know that these efforts are being recognized for the profound impact and success they have demonstrated. * VHP is currently working on a fiscal sponsorship agreement with Stone by Stone- a (pending) 501c3 organization that is "seeking to bring quality, reliable and consistent health care to a nine village cooperative located in the Cabaret region of Haiti." We are very happy to know that the 'Desab Clinic', which VHP has been involved with for several years, will now be supported and assisted by this very dedicated group.http://www.stonebystone.org --------------------------------------------------------------- * Kimball will be heading to Haiti with a group in early June. Gary Beckwith (www.solarbus.org) will travel with her to install a solar array at the vocational school in Duchity. He will be teaching the principles of Solar technology to a small local group which will include installation, maintenance, security and upkeep. Comments are closed.
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