About REACH

Who We Are

REACH (Reconstruction Efforts Aiding Children without Homes) brings environmentally friendly and sustainable buildings to children affected by natural disaster, poverty, and war around the world. Through a collaboration of various partners, we developed a Voluntour Program that allows a person, or a group, to selflessly give the basic necessities of shelter to children, while gaining an insight into the plights of impoverished children around the world.

What We Do

Our approach is quite unique in that our efforts will enable the benefiting communities to develop the skills and partnerships needed to design and build schools, homes medical centers, and other buildings. Our Voluntour Programs offer the ability to make a difference regardless of experience. Anyone can participate and contribute to the success of our projects and the development of communities in need.

History

Immediately after the December 2004 Asian Tsunami, a Natural Disaster that claimed the lives of almost 40,000 and left another 400,000+/- men, women and children homeless just in Sri Lanka. Donald Stevens, an architect by education and a builder by trade along with several of his friends sprung into action to help rebuild Sri Lanka. 80 days after the Tsunami, Donald went to Sri Lanka to conduct an assessment and met with Habitat For Humanity-Sri Lanka (HFH-SL) to develop a partnership that would lead to building the first environmentally friendly, sustainable homes.

Wishing to do more Donald began to expand on an idea that would allow HFH-SL to actually manufacture 100% of the structural components in Sri Lanka in lieu of importing components from China and using raw materials such as wood (timber) that did not withstand harsh tropical climates. This program would also create 1,000’s of new jobs, which would stimulate Sri Lanka’s economy and more importantly provide decent, affordable housing for those displaced.

Shortly after the completion of several homes in a small fishing village in Balapitiya, Sri Lanka in January, 2006, car bombs and suicide bombers from LTTE terrorists entered the Capital (Colombo) taking the lives of 100’s of citizens. This act of terrorism practically stopped all of the reconstruction efforts to the North and East. Due to that uncontrollable situation we were forced to put our program on permanent hold until peace returned to the land of serendipity.

However, Donald decided to press forward expanding his program so he decided redirect its resources to other countries where homeless, orphaned children were in need. Out of that idea REACH (Reconstruction Efforts Aiding Children without Homes) was born with a sole purpose to develop strategic alliances with corporations, funding partners, universities and non-profit professional organizations to continue its work, delivering worthy projects to communities wherever orphaned children are in need. Furthermore, REACH has created an enhanced Volunteer Travel/Build program that will allow individuals and groups to take part in the construction of the projects through a hands-on program called Voluntourism.