Container YMCAs
January 12, 2010. Haiti was devastated by the largest earthquake the island nation had seen since the 18th Century. Hundreds of thousands were killed. Even more were displaced. The country was in shambles, and so many people were trying to figure out how they could help. Amid such a tragedy, resources became scarce, especially when the country was trying to rebuild. Everything that the people could get their hands on became valuable, even the containers that supplies were shipped in.
Through a partnership of the YMCA d’Haiti, the Ridgewood YMCA, the Wells Mountain Foundation, and Rotary Club, 12 containers of clothes and supplies were delivered to Haiti in early 2011, being distributed to those affected by the earthquakes through 2013. At 8’x8’x40’, these containers were too big of a potential resource to be sent back to the US after they’d been emptied. This partnership of humanitarian aid instead purchased the containers so they could remain in Haiti and be put to good use.
In February of 2011, 17 volunteers, many of which were Rotarians, took a trip to Haiti to distribute the donated clothing and construct a new YMCA building for locals out of two of the shipping containers. Working alongside locals, these volunteers were able to teach them skills like welding and building, and some supplies were even left to help people make a job out of these new skills. Together, they created something wonderful.
The structure used the two containers spaced apart to create a large multipurpose area in between, capped with a unique roof design. The final product included classrooms, a library, offices, the multipurpose room, a small bathroom, and a kitchenette. It was even designed to include a well for clean water and a nearby soccer field, both of which are aspects that were carried through to every YMCA that followed. Between the positive reception of the first Container YMCA and the fact that there were more shipping containers in Haiti waiting to be used, it was only a matter of time before more were constructed around the country.
Each subsequent Container YMCA improved upon the previous iteration through input from YMCA d’Haiti National General Secretary Gwenael Apollon – also a Rotarian – and the design talents of architect Phil Wells. Phil helped develop the design of these Container YMCAs to increase their footprint, improve their functionality, and decrease their cost. The goals were simple, but the impact was huge.
Many of the positive effects of these YMCAs align with Rotary’s Areas of Focus. They became distribution centers for donations, they housed after school care and access to clean water, they were self-sustaining with minimal dues, and were designed to withstand storms and tropical weather. Each one could serve up to 3,500 people, and the more that were built, the more people could be served.
Using the already purchased containers, donated materials, and volunteer efforts wherever possible, five more Container YMCAs were constructed for an impressive price of $55,000 each. In January 2013, the second YMCA opened in Boutin, Croix-des-Bouquets. The Marchand-Desalines location opened in January 2014 followed by the Caracol location in January 2015. The fifth was in Laurent, which opened in April 2017 and the most recent was in Jacmel, which opened in 2019. The current 1,600 square foot design includes a corrugated steel roof supported by a steel truss system that still sits between two shipping containers. It now includes a store and a computer room on top of the rooms found in the first iteration.
The communities that have received these Container YMCAs have been truly grateful for their presence and for the countless hours given to their lives by American and Haitian volunteers looking to better the world. Every contribution has made a difference, especially all of the support from Rotary, in the form of supplies, personnel, grants, and more. It’s amazing how a little brainstorming can transform something so mundane like a shipping container into a place that can change the lives of people in need.