Clearing the land and pouring concrete happened last October/November

May 18, 2021
Chris Berg
The PEACE Project in Haiti Membership
BEFORE, the lot PEACE purchased in Carrefour (with 15 dead vehicles!)  AFTER, the two steel structures that we've erected (with one more on the way).  We're moving our school from an old house to these purpose built buildings (earthquake/hurricane proof.).  Walls, doors on order, we're planning on a final Build in July!  Ribbon cutting in August!  Be there!  New school year begins in September.
Before
After
Techserve's Larry Zaugg was the building coordinator. and a perfectionist when it came to laying this out.
Varnel making stakes to hold forms; no electricity in this part of Haiti so no power tools.
Bolts needed perfect placement for the steel coming later.
Land cleared and leveled ready for forms



Concrete pouring begins...took two days
It took an army of workers, each making $30 a day. No cement trucks!
No boots? Haitian ingenuity

Grace a Dieu: kreyòl for "Thanks to God" 

Grace a Dieu: Thanks to God!



Our buildings shipped from TechServe in Arkansas, arrived in March 2021 and the real fun began!

This Customs seal held us up for a few minutes. Then a chisel and hammer opened the way for unloading two steel frame buildings.
Unloading the steel frame buildings

Several of the I beams weighed in at 50 pounds per square foot. This is where the term "manpower" originated
Everything had to be moved to the build site in smaller trucks...because it's Haiti. (Complicated. Don't ask why.)


The first steel is raised!
John Woodward from Rhode Island, is a hero. Volunteered at the last minute to help. Fearless!
Dale Jones, Techserve's building coordinator was an inspiration to work with. Wonderfully competent. Amazingly patient.


Raising trusses with a Genielift. The lift came in the shipping container along with a generator and welder.
Dale and Steve screwing roofing onto "purlins". We learned a lot of new construction terms.
Confident? Steve Johnson is actually hanging on for dear life!

Visible from Space (maybe!). Nothing like it in the neighborhood. A school to serve 250 Haitian children. Our new earthquake and hurricane "proof" campus will be ready in September.

">Click here to watch our "Building" Video.