In 2018, an earthquake rocked the north of Haiti. The city of Saint Louis du Nord was greatly impacted with some homes completely destroyed, Habitat for Humanity Haiti has built 11 houses for 11 families in need. One was the family of 71-year-old Cado who has been living in her Habitat home since December 2019. Her old house was destroyed in the earthquake. Cado, her daughter and grandchildren were forced to live in unsafe temporary accommodations, covered by a tarp.
Cado, who was widowed some years ago, has a table set up on her front porch to sell her wares. This is how she helps care for her family. Her daughter Olivine, 31, is a single mother of three adorable children, Ralph, 11, Larissa, 9, and Naelle, 4.
Cado explained to us that when she was young, her parents didn’t think it was that important to send their children to school, especially her, since she was a girl. As a result, she is unable to properly sign her name on anything. “They came up with a solution for people like me. They tell me to draw an X, and even that I can barely do,” she told us. This is why it was so important to her to make sure that all her children, and their children, learned to be able to read and write. She proudly boasts, “All the little ones know how to write their names, even the little one who is 4. She can’t quite write her name yet but can write the letter A. She’s learning her alphabet.” she says with a smile.
Her daughter Olivine tells us that it was very important for her kids to get an education. Without an education, you won’t understand how to fight a virus like COVID-19. A lot of people don’t understand how it works, how important it is to wash your hands properly and what measures to take to keep from spreading diseases. “If not for Habitat, we’d have to sleep where we get wet when it rains, with no real security from the elements.”
Every family deserves a home where they are safe to learn, play, and be comfortable enough to earn a gainful living. Together, we can help make a difference in the lives of families like Cado’s where three generations are able to thrive. Homes, Communities, Hope + You, help make all the difference.