ADRA-Dominica Presents Family of Five Keys for a New Home
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Cover photo. ADRA Director in Dominica, Priscilla Prevost stands with Treasurer of the East Caribbean Conference Valrica Harrison- Dottin as she presents the keys of the new house to Mr. McIntyre Hypolite and his wife.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Dominica, through its humanitarian affiliate the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), continues to make good on its promise to support victims whose homes were devastated by Hurricane Maria in 2017. At a mini ceremony on Monday, January 31, 2023, ADRA agents, municipal officers and SDA Church representatives presented the Hypolite family, of five, with keys to a home which was recently constructed in the village of Laplaine, Dominica.
The Category 5 hurricane caused the deaths of dozens of people and damaged roads, bridges, and the ecosystems. The storm left residents without access to potable water, food, electricity, and communication systems – it also destroyed commercial and personal properties. Destruction of buildings depleted available housing – particularly for the most vulnerable.
East Caribbean Conference administrators and family of Mr. McIntyre Hypolite and his wife during the handing over ceremony.
From 2018 to 2019, ADRA-Dominica embarked on a re-roofing and repair program through local funding partnerships with other organizations such as International Organization for Migration (IOM), Red Cross, Rotary, the North-Eastern Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in the USA, and the Caribbean Union Conference fields (namely the South Caribbean Conference, the South Leeward Conference, and the East Caribbean Conference).
“While we will admit that significant development has taken place in the country, visible to locals and visitors alike, however some people are still grappling with the impact of that major disaster,” said the ADRA Director in Dominica, Priscilla Prevost. She added, “Since the major need, post-Hurricane Maria, was housing, ADRA mounted a rebuild project in three phases. This handing over is part of the third phase, which is rebuild and repairs, funded by ADRA-UK and the East Caribbean Conference. It is hoped that through this partnership [scores of] families will be helped. Although we encountered a setback in obtaining approval for structural plans for some of the structures, we were happy to deliver keys to this family of five. ADRA-Dominica was happy to assist the family with 50% of the cost of the existing structure, to the tune of $78,000 EC.”
The new home handed over to My Hypolite and family.
Dr. Alexander Isaacs, the ADRA Director for the Caribbean Union Conference, stated, “ It has been a very exciting period for ADRA in Dominica, especially when we have been able, through this intervention, to make a significant difference to people’s lives, and to help them strengthen their resilience to natural disasters.”
The President of the East Caribbean Conference, Pastor Anthony Hall, shared, “Moving vulnerable families into better dwellings has given them security and comfort, and a better way of life. There are still many challenges, and we have a long way to go in our work to reach out to vulnerable and marginalized households, but we are working on it.” He also emphasized, “We are stronger together. This is more evident than ever as ADRA-Dominica, local Adventist churches, and many other supporters and partners have come together to respond to this crisis.”
Attendees at the mini ceremony included dozens of supporters, family, friends, the Chair of the Laplaine Village Council, Donabel Pierre, and architect of the project, Phillip Matthew. The East Caribbean Conference was represented by: Pastor Anthony Hall – President, Pastor Terrance Haynes – Executive Secretary, Sister Valrica Dottin – Treasurer, Sister Priscilla Prevost – ADRA Director, Sister Vernella Hilaire-Williams – ADRA Treasurer, and Pastor Maurice Morancie – Ministerial Secretary and Island Coordinator.
Mr.McIntyre Hypolite and wife after the handing-over ceremony
Local leaders indicated that ADRA-Dominica always seeks opportunities to improve living conditions in communities. Work already commenced on a structure in the village of Portsmouth and another home is scheduled to be built in the village of Marigot. The design of the home structures prioritizes sustainability; the homes are built with a resilient, concrete roof, three bedrooms, and related amenities.
Leaders of the East Caribbean Conference and the island constituency express gratitude to ADRA-UK and the many persons including the members of the Hypolite family who worked and volunteered to make the project a reality.
ADRA is the international, humanitarian arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, serving in 118 countries. Its work empowers communities and changes lives around the world by providing sustainable community development and disaster relief. ADRA’s purpose is to serve humanity so all may live as God intended.