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Won-G and Andrew South with village children

June 18^th 2010

Dear Friends and Family of the One Dome at a Time Foundation:

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of the support that you have given me and our One Dome at a Time Foundation (ODAAT).  I just returned from a week-long trip to Haiti, where we acquired the land and completed the feasibility study to build our first dome community.

Through your help we will house 500 families in permanent homes that will withstand all of Haiti’s natural disasters! This is the first model community for Haiti.  My dream is to fill the island with housing suitable for the nation and create economic growth.

More than just housing, the One Dome at a Time Foundation is creating a full functioning community and new way of life for Haitians.  In accordance with the Government’s initiative our Foundation is giving Haitians the ability to live outside of the over populated and now destroyed capital city of Port-au-Prince.

The community will have 5 imperatives: housing, education, health care, agriculture and natural energy.  The Dome housing, which lasts for hundreds of years, will provide shelter for generations.  We will also build a school and health center in the community.  Around the community will be land for agriculture.  Those living in the community will not only be able to grow enough food for themselves but be able to create a living selling fruits, vegetables, grains and herbs.  Additionally, the community will employ different methods of natural energy to live sustainably.

We feel it is important to create leaders within the Haitian communities.  Once given the tools to succeed, these new leaders will be able to create exponential change in Haiti.

With your efforts thus far, we are on our way, but we still need help. The effort in Haiti is much bigger than our Foundation. Unlike some major charities, you can be assured that money donated to our Foundation is reaching the ground in Haiti.  Every dollar donated is being used to make change in Haiti.

In the enclosed photos and additional photos accessible by the link at the bottom of this letter, you can see the success of our trip.  Photographed with me is Andrew South, a partner in our organization.  He has vast experience in building domes and construction in developing nations. While in Haiti we discussed our new community with government officials, local engineers and NGOs on the ground such as Double Harvest.  We also met with general contractors to discuss road construction and waste management companies.  Our foundation has vetted out all supply companies and finalized the cost of construction.  The best part of the trip was when we acquired the land for the first 500 home community!

For those of you, who have already donated, the photos and videos from our trip last week are truly a part of your work.  For those, who have not yet made a donation, please sincerely think about making a small contribution. And, please remember, even just a prayer makes a difference.

It takes 52 cents for a child to eat one meal in Haiti; $350 to send a child to school for one year; and $2,500-$3,500 to give a family a home that will last for 300-500 years, one that will not be destroyed in another earthquake or hurricane.

I am the son of Haiti! The government and the people respect me and always welcome me with open arms, love, and trust.  But Haiti’s mission cannot rely only on one person. In Andrew South’s words, “We must build relationships with those who are on the ground and currently doing work in Haiti.” And we have clearly gone in with the support of the people. We studied and learned about the true needs of Haitians. It was very critical to talk to the people directly, and that is what we did. Political, business, religious and personal initiatives that seek to take advantage of the people will never succeed.  Haitians have many hardships but through believing in God their faith will continue to lead them in a positive direction.

One person at a time…

One family at a time…

One $ dollar at a time…

…changes a family’s life!

May God continue to bless you and your family!

Thank you for reading this letter.

With Love,

Won-G & the One Dome at a Time Foundation

Additional photos from the June 2010 trip:   http://gallery.me.com/realsovage#100272

Won-G’s emergency relief trip to Haiti in January 2010:   http://gallery.me.com/realsovage/100265

To see videos of Won-G on the news, visit:   www.onedomeatatime.org

Land for the first Dome community!!

Won-G and Andrew stand in front of the destroyed Royal Palace.

Won-G wants to change the way Haitians live and shop.

Tent City in Haiti

Won-G and Andrew with villagers

Won-G and Andrew in discussion with attorney