Dr. Kit Miyamoto's Field Journals
  • Home
  • Kit’s Journals
    • China
    • Ecuador
    • Haiti
    • Italy
    • Japan
    • Nepal
    • Philippines
    • Thailand
    • Guest Journals
  • About Miyamoto
    • Miyamoto International
    • Miyamoto Relief

Miyamoto in Haiti: School Rebuilding and Construction Continues

January 11, 2014November 15, 2018,
  • Prev
  • Next
This post is part of a series called Miyamoto in Haiti
Show More Posts
  • The 2010 Haiti Earthquake, Part 1
  • The 2010 Haiti Earthquake, Part 2
  • Miyamoto in Haiti: The Presidential Palace, A Fractured Haitian Icon
  • Miyamoto in Haiti: Damage Assessment of the Japanese Embassy
  • Miyamoto in Haiti: The Well-Oiled Relief Machine Rolling Through Haiti
  • Miyamoto in Haiti: Inside a Heavily Damaged Building
  • Miyamoto in Haiti: Visiting The Citadel
  • Thirty Months in Haiti, Part 1
  • Thirty Months in Haiti, Part 2
  • Thirty Months in Haiti, Part 3
  • Miyamoto in Haiti: A Morning and Afternoon of Hopeful Rebuilding
  • Miyamoto in Haiti: School Rebuilding and Construction Continues
  • Trente mois en Haïti, 1eme partie
  • Trente mois en Haïti, 2eme partie
  • Trente mois en Haïti, 3eme partie
  • Miyamoto in Haiti: Visiting a Remote School Construction Site Near Cap-Haïtien
  • Miyamoto in Haiti: Self-Sustaining Relief
  • Miyamoto in Haiti: Love it or Hate it? Love it!
  • Miyamoto in Haiti: Lycee de Cite Soleil Rehabilitation Project
  • Miyamoto in Haiti: The Hopeful Road to Recovery

The 7.0-magnitude 2010 earthquake that devastated Haiti, killing more than 300,000 and destroying 280,000 buildings, also left many children without schools. Days later, Miyamoto International arrived in Haiti to help, ultimately creating Miyamoto Global Disaster Relief, a nonprofit to provide disaster mitigation and reconstruction following catastrophic disasters where usual funding source doesn’t exist.

mason-training-session-UNDP

Miyamoto International trained legions of engineers and masons (pictured) to rebuild and retrofit schools, homes and buildings so they will withstand future earthquakes. As Miyamoto International CEO Dr. Kit Miyamoto points out, “Earthquakes don’t kill people. Buildings kill people.” To date, we have trained more than 6,000 masons, along with 600 engineers and 20 contractors.

20131216_103441

Miyamoto International is in the process of rebuilding 34 schools leveled or heavily damaged by the earthquake, including Ecole Nationale de Catiche, a partnership with UNICEF.

20131216_105544

The Miyamoto truck arrives at the school site from Port-au-Prince after two days of driving and four-wheeling to get there. Other sites are accessible only on foot, including three hours of hiking uphill. “Nothing stops these Haitian masons,” Kit Miyamoto says.

20131215_122104

Seeing children like these and wanting to improve their lives is part of what drives Miyamoto International in its mission to make the world a better place. “I love Haitian kids,” Kit Miyamoto says. “They are so beautiful and friendly, but most have absolutely nothing. Amazing how much my kids have in comparison and sometimes they want more. I am determined to bring them here someday.”

20131216_124951

Kit Miyamoto and the team go over the plan of action with the local contractor (striped shirt). The man to Kit’s right is a Haitian site engineer who has worked with Miyamoto International for several years now.

20131216_104702

Masons build the foundation using traditional materials like these large rocks, a component that works well in Haitian construction.

20131216_104643

Miyamoto Project Manager Karyne Raymond and a site engineer check the foundation of the new school to make sure everything is right.

20131216_125738

Kit Miyamoto goes over school construction plans with a UNICEF staffer. Kit was heartbroken to see structurally unsafe schools reopen in Haiti shortly after the quake. He was haunted by the knowledge they would not withstand another significant earthquake and vowed to do something about it.

20131216_105332

The construction team looks over plans.

20131216_125632

UNICEF Country Director Edouard Beigbeder listens as the team shares a light moment. On the left is Project Manager Karyne Raymond, who is leading Miyamoto’s school rebuilding efforts in Haiti.

20131216_104648

Miyamoto’s Sabine Kast visits the site. Sabine spearheaded a conference that raised more than $100,000 for Miyamoto Global Disaster Relief. The nonprofit currently focuses on rebuilding dangerous schools in Haiti so Haitian schoolchildren can obtain an education without risking their lives to do so.

20131216_102510

A peek inside a temporary school in Southern Haiti where a new school is under construction. “Haitian children are among the poorest economically in the world, but they are so fun and have beautiful spirits,” Kit Miyamoto said. “This is true everywhere in Haiti. Education here is sacred. That impresses me.”

Kit Miyamoto
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google Plus
  • Pinterest

Post navigation

   Pacem in Maribus: Peace in the Ocean Conference
Trente mois en Haïti, 1eme partie   

You may also like

Miyamoto in Haiti: Lycee de Cite Soleil Rehabilitation Project

Continue Reading

Miyamoto in Haiti: Love it or Hate it? Love it!

Continue Reading

ABOUT

Kit MiyamotoKit Miyamoto

As CEO of the structural engineering company Miyamoto International, Kit is dedicated to making the world a better place. In Kit's words: our responsibility as engineers is to make buildings safer by sharing what we know around the world. Join his journey to make the world a better, safer place.

Archives

  • August 2017
  • April 2016
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • August 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • September 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • April 2013
  • February 2013
  • November 2012
  • March 2011
  • March 2010
  • January 2010
  • May 2008

miyamoto_international

Over 80 public and private sector representatives Over 80 public and private sector representatives from #Jakarta, Indonesia came together to discuss “Global Experiences in Earthquake Planning & Preparedness” as a part of @USAIDSavesLives's USAID ADVANCE Indonesia Program. Watch the highlight video here: http://ow.ly/ftEN50DN1ku.📸: Alejandro Mark II#indonesia #DRR
Today we launched the PREPARE Guatemala progam aloToday we launched the PREPARE Guatemala progam alongside @USAIDSaveslives and @PCIglobalguatemala. Guatemala is the newest country in the PREPARE Program family, through which we work to evaluate and reduce seismic vulnerability throughout Latin America & the Caribbean. Thanks to everyone who logged in!#guatemala #earthquake
@habitatforhumanity's Terwilliger Center for Innov@habitatforhumanity's Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter and Miyamoto announced a new partnership to combine housing, finance, and engineering expertise to create more resilient housing for low-income households. Read more at miyamotointernational.com/news
Last week we helped open the first of five drive-tLast week we helped open the first of five drive-thru COVID clinics for UC Davis Health, alongside Rudolph and Sletten, Inc., RMW Architecture & Interiors, Schetter Electric, Inc., and more. In a time when these sites are so critical, we're proud to work with such a dynamic team that delivered the first clinic ahead of schedule and with the highest quality.📸: Rudolph and Sletten
Register now for #UR2020 Understanding Risk GlobalRegister now for #UR2020 Understanding Risk Global Forum. Our session "Earthquake Disaster Preparedness through Public Engagement" is Dec 1st at 7pm PST. Don't forget to put it in your calendar. ⛈🔥🌋🌀🌊 ☣ Register today bit.ly/35pb6HN
Our friends at @wildphilanthropy hire and support Our friends at @wildphilanthropy hire and support families in #Ethiopia's Omo Valley with their locally-led tours. The #pandemic has brought tourism to a complete halt and they are in need of funds to continue supporting staff. Please consider donating by heading to the Emergency Relief fundrazr on their website.
Load More...Follow on Instagram

© Miyamoto International. All Rights Reserved.