OUR ‘HOLIDAY’ IN HAITI
WORKING 12 HOURS A DAY IN SEARING HEAT TO BUILD A SCHOOL WOULDN’T BE EVERYBODY’S IDEA OF A HOLIDAY, BUT FOR FOUR DUHALLOW MEN IT WAS DEFINITELY WORTHWHILE
FOUR men from Duhallow have just recently returned home following a volunteering trip in Haiti where they were involved in the building of two new classrooms, which included roofing, installing showers and toilets, and even making desks for the children in an orphanage and school managed by Yvrose Telfort Ismael.
John O’Connor, Kiskeam, Michael Daly, Newmarket, and Paul Tancred and Neil Galvin from Dromagh worked in the blistering heat in Haiti for the week where they were joined by three volunteers from Dublin and a number of local helpers.
Commenting on the trip, Michael Daly said that while working 12 hour days in such extreme heat was difficult, the rewards were fantastic. “I’d recommend it to anyone,” he said. “However, making do with mismatched materials was challenging, all right. It’s not as if you can run down the road to the nearest builders providers!” the innovative Michael said.
While it was also the first trip to Haiti for Paul Tancred, he remarked that it was well worth going. “It’s an awful culture shock - they are so happy with nothing and so used to struggling. On our final day I gave one young lad my sunglasses, it meant everything to him. I will definitely go again,” Paul said.
Neil Galvin, also from Dromagh, said that while it was also his first time volunteering he would certainly like to return to Haiti; “It was great when we were finished to see the delight on the faces of the kids who will be using the classrooms. Their reaction to the completed buildings was unreal,” Neil said.
While Michael, Paul and Neil are new to volunteering, John O’Connor has been involved in humanitarian work since 2006, initially with the Niall Mellon Trust building homes in the poorest townships in Capetown, and subsequently with Haven since 2008.
Regarding his work in Africa, John remarked that it was a life changing experience to witness the stark divide between the affluent and poverty stricken neighbourhoods in Capetown. “We worked in the poorest of the townships - Mfuleni, Khayelitsha and Freedom Park. We worked hard on those trips; the highlight of the week being the handover day when the keys were given to the new owners. The joy on the faces of the recipients made the long trip worthwhile,” John said.
In 2008, Hugh Brennan (now CEO with O’Cualann, a voluntary social housing co-op in Dublin) asked John if he would undertake volunteering work in Haiti with Haven, a new charity that was being formed by Corkman Leslie Buckley and his wife, Carmel. John acted as foreman the following year, 2009, when a total of 273 volunteers from Ireland worked at Quanaminthe in Haiti
After an earthquake hit Haiti in 2010, Leslie Buckley and Haven increased their efforts and John continued to travel to Haiti every year where he and his fellow volunteers built many more homes, latrines, community centres and houses.
In 2012 he worked with Haven and Habitat for Humanity in Leogane where he had the opportunity to work with President Jimmy Carter. “He is not afraid of picking up the tools and doing his share of work” John said.
“I went with Haiti Orphanage Project ESPWA twice working on Ille A Vache, an island off Haiti. Here Espwa worked with handicapped kids in an orphanage and also a school. Many kids in these orphanages are not orphans but are abandoned by their parents who are unable to care for them.” John added.
John paid tribute to all the people who have donated money to fund these projects in the past. “Many local businesses in Duhallow and beyond have donated money, many of the local schools in this area of Cork and Kerry have held fundraisers, and the people of Kiskeam and Boherbue have been hugely supportive of Haven,” he said.
“Jerry Pat O’Leary has accompanied me on many of these trips and fundraised in the Millstreet area,” John added.
If any local schools would like Haven to host a presentation in their school to help promote the ongoing work in Haiti, contact John O’Connor at 087 2073415
To donate €2 to Haven’s relief effort in Haiti, text HAITI to 50300.
Haven is taking a group of volunteers to Haiti next April - if any reader is interested - and in 2019, the 10th anniversary of Haven’s first trip, plans are already afoot to send a large contingent of volunteers from Ireland. John hopes that there will be several from the Duhallow area.
The trip as a whole costs €4,500. This covers flights, accommodation, food, insurance and travel while in Haiti, with the remainder of the money going towards the Haven project volunteers will be working on.