Help Build Low-Cost Hurricane-Resilient Homes in Grenada

BUILDING HOMES AND HOPES IN THE WAKE OF HURRICANE BERYL

Hello and thank you for taking a moment to support our community in Grenada.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, families in the northern regions of Grenada faced devastating losses—many homes didn’t just lose roofs; they were completely destroyed. As we brace for the remainder of the hurricane season (which isn't over until 1 November), the need for safe, sustainable housing is more urgent than ever.

WHO ARE YOU AND WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?

I'm Zoe Smith, a mom of three who moved from the UK to Grenada in 2021. Over the past three years, via my YouTube channel, The Exodus Collective, I've been helping folks relocate to the Caribbean but now it's time for me to offer assistance where it's most urgently needed.

While I live in the south of Grenada, my family hail from the parish of St Patrick over multiple generations. While the devastation that occurred in Grenada's sister isles of Carriacou and Petite Martinique, communities in the north of Grenada are suffering.

A month on from the hurricane, I've witnessed a 95-year-old sleeping on the bare floor, a mother sheltering (with her child) in a store room and a farmer sleeping in the back of a shop in one village alone and there are countless others!

With no clear date in sight for a solution, despair and depression are unsurprisingly beginning to set in but I believe the people of Grenada deserve better.

WHAT'S THE PLAN?

I've partnered with a local established non-profit organization and a seasoned US contractor with over 30 years of experience in residential construction on the West Coast, to develop an AFFORDABLE hurricane-resilient home design. This concept isn’t just a temporary fix; it's a sustainable solution that can serve our community for generations to come.

WHY DOES THIS MATTER NOW?

Six weeks after the hurricane, Grenada's government is doing what it can, but the reality is aid distribution can take time. Meanwhile, too many families in the north of the island can’t wait. With another two months of 2024's hurricane season still looming, I'm on a mission to provide immediate relief and scalable, long-term solutions.

HOW CAN I HELP?

After spending time in the local community to get a sense of the solutions homeowners actually want, we gathered a team of local residents as well as volunteers to start clearing away the debris so that we can start to rebuild two homes.

A local charity has generously donated $2,000, but we need an additional $6,000 to complete the construction of our first concept home.

WHAT YOUR MONEY WILL COVER

Low-Cost Construction Materials: Your donation will help us to rebuild a home for a young farmer and, in the process create a low-cost, open-source model that's accessible to other aspiring home-owners in tropical regions on the frontline of the climate catastrophe.

Labor Costs for Skilled Carpenters: Although the contractor is generously offering his services pro bono, your contributions will cover the wages of local skilled carpenters. This ensures that the project not only progresses smoothly but also supports local employment.

Apprenticeship Program for Local Youth: Your donation will sponsor an apprenticeship program, teaching local youth essential construction skills. This initiative will not only help in the current rebuilding efforts but, in the process, will empower the community’s young members with the expertise to lead future home-building/reconstruction efforts, fostering self-reliance and resilience.

Development of an Open-Access Online Platform: This will host the complete design, materials list, and construction process, making it freely available for anyone to replicate and adapt. This platform aims to extend the impact of your donation by empowering other communities to build their own hurricane-resilient homes, multiplying the benefits of your generosity.

EMPOWERING LOCAL COMMUNITIES

This project is about more than just giving people temporary shelters. It’s about empowering the next generation and equipping our community with the skills and resources to withstand future storms. By investing in this project, you’re helping the Spice Isle to build resilience from the ground up.

Every contribution brings us one step closer to a safer, stronger, more resilient Grenada. Please consider donating today and sharing our campaign with your network. Together, we can transform our future.

Thank you for your support and belief in our community’s resilience.

YOUR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ANSWERED:

Q: How was the specific house chosen for rebuilding?

A: The decision on which house to rebuild was based on thorough assessments conducted by our experienced contractor. Among the structures evaluated, the chosen house was the only one with foundations robust enough to support the new, resilient building design. This situation highlights a broader issue in Grenada—many low-cost houses lack the strong foundations necessary to withstand severe weather. By focusing on this house, we not only address immediate needs but also demonstrate the critical importance of solid foundational work in affordable housing. This project will serve as a model for constructing more durable homes across the region.

Q: Why are you asking for donations if a contractor is involved?

A: While our experienced contractor is generously offering his expertise and services pro bono, there are still significant costs associated with materials, labor, and running the apprenticeship programs. Your donations are crucial to cover these expenses, ensuring that we can build these homes quickly and efficiently.

Q: How can you guarantee that these homes will withstand future hurricanes?

A: The truth is that we cannot guarantee that this home will withstand future hurricanes and we are not promising a hurricane-proof design. Such a design would be beyond the means of most people in Grenada. However, the design does employ hurricane-resistant construction techniques and materials proven to endure severe weather conditions. This includes reinforced structures and materials selected specifically for their durability and resistance to extreme forces.

Q: What guarantees do we have that the money will be used appropriately?

A: Transparency and accountability are core to our mission. We will provide regular updates and detailed breakdowns of how every dollar is spent. We are committed to ensuring that all funds go directly towards the construction of these homes, creating the learning platform and the apprenticeship program.

Q: Why focus on building new homes instead of helping families repair existing structures?

A: Many of the affected homes in La Fortune are beyond repair, having been completely destroyed by Hurricane Beryl. Building new, resilient homes is not only more cost-effective in such cases but also ensures that the new structures are safer and better equipped to handle future hurricanes, thereby providing a more sustainable solution.

Q: How will this project benefit the local community in the long term?

Answer: Beyond providing immediate, safe housing, this project is designed to empower the local community. By incorporating an apprenticeship program, we are investing in local youth, teaching them valuable construction skills that will enable them to build, maintain, and repair homes in the future. This initiative helps foster a self-reliant community that can proactively respond to and recover from disasters.