Simon’s Story

When we met 81-year-old Simon, he had lived in Wesley in northeast Dominica for more than 60 years.

He built his home himself and lives alone, as his four children are grown-up and have moved overseas.

When Hurricane Maria, a category 5 storm, hit Dominica, Simon’s peaceful life turned upside down.

Simon had to leave his home, seeking shelter in one of his local churches. But the extreme winds broke the door open and water started pouring in.

As he searched for dry ground, Simon was hit in the head by a piece of wood.

Finally, he managed to find a shelter where he could rest for a few days before cleaning up what was left of his house.

Our teams worked tirelessly to help communities begin recovering in the Caribbean. On the island of Dominica, we provided shelter kits to help families make repairs to their homes.

Moreover, our teams carried out training sessions with members of the local community to show people the different ways the kit can be used, and how to make stronger, more resilient structures.

When our teams conducted a training session in the community of Wesley in northeast Dominica, they met Simon for the first time. After talking people through the theoretical part of the training, the team then did a practical demonstration by rebuilding the roof of Simon’s house.

He was very grateful and surprised by the shelter kit and the help that the community provided to cover the roof above his bedroom.