Rain renews, restores, and cleanses – but it can also destroy. As the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti is no stranger to living conditions that many would find unimaginable. The 2010 earthquake displaced more than 2 million people in Haiti. Today, over 85,000 people in nearly 23,000 households remain homeless. Even more are living in slums or slum-like conditions, with no access to electricity, running water, or proper sanitation systems. In an environment that’s already at risk for disease and disaster, rain makes everything worse. 

For Haitians who can afford a dwelling, one-room makeshift huts serve as family homes. Built with what’s available – tarps, sticks, banana leaves, scrap metal – these huts often lack the structural integrity to withstand heavy storms, and many of them have weak, dangerous roofing systems. Water not only soaks the building materials, but it also destroys clothing, bedding, household goods, and food. Frequent moisture often causes and worsens illness, especially in children. 

No family should have to live in fear of rain clouds. Children shouldn’t have to huddle under unstable, structurally compromised shelters to wait out storms that may make them sick. Bacteria, rusty metal, mold, and mildew present real problems. A simple, solid roofing system could make the difference between a sick child and a healthy one. 

Haitians work hard for modest possessions only to have a simple rainstorm figuratively and literally wash it all away. We want to change that, and that’s what we’re doing with Housetops for Haiti. Our initial vision came from witnessing firsthand the undeniable need for safe and adequate shelter. Roofs are meant to protect people from the elements. Many Haitian homes lack this simple but crucial protective barrier.

The roofs that we build are made with new, proper building materials. Roofs offer protection, but they aren’t always enough. Some homes are simply inadequate to support a new roof, and constructing new home is the only option. Prayerfully consider partnering with us by sponsoring a new roof or home. By sponsoring a new home, you’ll be providing a family with a safe home that will last for years to come. 

If you’d like to learn more about what we do, how we build the homes, where the funds go, or would like to join us on a mission trip get in touch with us.

Sponsor a New Home

Click a a photo above and choose the family you'd like to sponsor in the drop down menu of the giving section.