Visit of the President of the French Senate in Haiti

On 31 July 2014 Jean-Pierre Bel, the President of the French Senate, visited the Entrepreneurs du Monde programmes in Haiti

After a presentation of the NGO’s activities in the country, focussing particularly on the reconstruction activities led by the Housing programme, Mr Bel visited the community offices built on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince by the association @PROCOM (an association of skilled workers and professionals who use the construction methods promoted by Entrepreneurs du Monde) and supported by the NGO. He then met with the skilled tradespeople who had been involved in these construction projects.

This visit was part of a four day trip which Mr Bel made to Haiti between 29 July and 2 August 2014. He was accompanied that day by Senator Benard Piras, President of the Franco-Caribbean friendship group, Patrick Nicoloso, the French ambassador in Haiti and the Haitian Ambassador in Paris, Vanessa Matignon-Lamothe.

All four showed great enthusiasm for the projects visited. ‘You do exemplary work!’ the President of the Senate told the team.

Housing: local, sustainable rebuilding

The Housing programme was launched by Entrepreneurs du Monde following the earthquake of 12 January 2010 to develop, in collaboration with the research laboratory CRATerre, a method of earthquake and cyclone resistant construction, which is accessible to the most destitute. This method of construction is notable due to the fact that it makes use of building materials made from recycled earthquake debris.

Today Entrepreneurs du Monde seeks to promote this method of construction, approved by the Haitian Ministry for Public Works, training tradespeople in these techniques and supporting them in setting up their own construction businesses. In 2013 the NGO encouraged these tradespeople and entrepreneurs to come together in an association, @PROCOM, to enable them to become more effective and to find new clients.