Big Picture
Depending on how close you’ve been to the recent developments of the orphanage and the brand new co-op, Okipe… you may or may not know about the amazing story behind the recent purchase of land, some 3.75 acres, for the development of an Orphan Village. The entire story will be available in video clip on this site soon.
While interviewing Mme Soliette in person in February of this year our committee chairperson, Bill Cody, along with Joy Irvine and Matt Smith, determined the severity of the need to relocate the orphanage. The following conditions contributed to the sense of urgency:
- The current building is multiple stories of concrete, the kind of construction that resulted in massive loss of life in the last big earthquake. They live there in fear.
- There is virtually nowhere for the children to go outside which means their lives primarily take place inside one large building with bars enclosing them in the wrap around balconies.
- There is no safe drinking water supply on-site.
- The cooking space is unsafe and has no proper ventilation for smoke, etc.
- They have nowhere to dispose of waste water or garbage. The biggest challenge here is on Saturdays when laundry is done for all of them. The water must simply run off which causes problems with neighbors. They have to pay someone to remove the garbage to another location in the town.
- Wherever they rent housing, the rent steadily gets raised over time. They are paid through the end of June currently, but expect the rent to continue to rise.
CURRENT PROPOSED SITE PLAN
Soon you will be able to view our 5 Year Dream for the development of the Orphan Village… but for now, we are calling on everyone to dig deep, think big and give generously to the initial stages of development that will allow us to relocate the basic operations of the orphanage.
CLICK HERE to email Bill Cody for the current needs and opportunities.