Glanmire volunteer Martin O’Shea, is set to join 39 other volunteers from Ireland and abroad in setting off to Haiti on a life-changing trip with Haven, the prominent Irish non governmental organisation, working on the ground there.
This year’s Volunteer Programme sees the group travel to the small town of Carrefour Dufont, located two hours south-west of Haiti’s capital, Port au Prince.
There, Martin and his fellow volunteers will focus on the refurbishment and upgrade of the local school, which serves 220 children and nine teachers, and which suffered significant damage in last October’s Hurricane Matthew.
Over the course of eight days, Haven’s volunteers will repair the roofs and replaster the walls of the school’s buildings, which were badly impacted by the most powerful storm to hit Haiti in over half a century.
As well as this, volunteers will build a new kitchen on the school grounds, and a covered area for children to eat in and shelter from the searing afternoon heat.
Meanwhile, the volunteers will enable additional learning and skills for students through the development of an unused space into a school library.
They will also create a safe area for children to play with a colourful and interactive playground.
Martin, who works with a construction company, said his name was drawn at Christmas to travel to Haiti as part of the Haven volunteer programme.
“I am just now starting to realise that I am going to Haiti, and I am very much looking forward to it as I am sure it will be a life changing experience.’’
