Our Mission:

As noted above, there is an excess of plastic that is not being recycled. Our goal is to help reduce poverty and clean up our planet by paying the locals that live on less than two dollars a day to collect plastic.   

Plastic Pollution & Poverty

Since 1950, human beings have created over 8.3 billion metric tons/tonnes of plastic and only 9% of that plastic has been recycled. The remaining 7.47 million metrics tons/tonnes of plastic have either been incinerated or are accumulating in landfills, which will eventually end up in our waterways and oceans. It is estimated that ocean plastic causes $13 billion a year in damages and lost revenue. This has and will continue to affect tourism, shipping, and fishing.

Why Haiti

Natural Disasters (2002-Current)

Haiti is located in one of the world's toughest geographical regions. Recently 6 major floods, 17 major hurricanes/tropical storms/torrential rain, as well as 2 earthquakes have devastated the island. Haiti is constantly hit with horrific natural disasters that result in worse conditions than it previously was in. This is partially why Haiti has an 80% poverty rate, which leaves two out of every three people jobless. 

Pilate Haiti:

My business partner and I have formed a strategic relationship with Suze Francois, a local from Pilate, Haiti. Suze will provide us with the necessary local connections that are crucial to success within the region. Our mission is to provide the locals with jobs and to build our first set of homes in Pilate. We will then spread to other towns, which will create additional jobs and increase our social impact. 

Our Solution

Happy Homes plans to help impoverished Haitians' by providing a consistent, earnable wage and sustainable and affordable housing made out of plastic. 

Our Brick:

The center of our block will be composed of Vetiver, which is a root that is commonly grown in Haiti. These roots are very cheap, abundantly available, and have historically been used as building material in Haiti. The integration of the root will reduce the cost and weight of our bricks. The dimensions of our bricks are 10''L X 6''W X14"H and weigh just over 16lbs. This is nearly one-third the weight of a typical brick this size.

About Us:

Nick Kellicker: When I was a sophomore in college I spent my winter break in India. I fell in love with the culture and the people. I spent a lot of time exploring different historical sites as well as working at the Pumpkin House Orphanage while I was there.This experience truly opened my eyes and changed the way I thought about the world. The amount of poverty and plastic waste really impacted me during my stay. I met Rafic Korban as I began to think about potential solutions. This is when we began molding an idea that would bring about a social impact by providing people with a steady income, giving them an opportunity to have a safe and sustainable home while cleaning up the environment all at the same time.

Rafic Korban: I grew up in Hong Kong, the most densely populated city in East Asia. I noticed a great deal of trash, which has become a growing problem in and around the city. I recently met my business partner, Nick Kellicker, at Suffolk University. We quickly realized that we shared a common interest in helping out impoverished countries dealing with trash problems, specifically plastic. Happy Homes is my solution to help people in need while cleaning up our environment. I am extremely dedicated to making a difference and finding more people who share the same passion as Nick and me.

What We Need 

The Impact

Many people take having a home for granted and don't realize how important it is to have a healthy and happy environment to live in. By providing people with the opportunity to live in an affordable home, we are allowing them to flourish and survive. 

Along with providing safe, affordable and sustainable homes made out of recycled plastic, Happy Homes is dedicated to providing the Haitian locals with a consistent wage. The Haitian locals will have complete control over the number of hours they choose to put in. Happy Homes is dedicated to forming a community where everyone feels safe and comfortable, which is why we have chosen to hire local leaders to work with. 

Providing the Haitian economy with this opportunity will enable them to live a more comfortable life. This is a crucial aspect of our mission because along with helping the impoverished community, we are also stimulating their economy by keeping the plastic in Haiti and directly helping those who collect it. 

Units of Social  Impact:

1. Homes built
2. Employees and wages
3. Pounds of plastic collected & recycled

Risks & Challenges

• Sociopolitical factors
• Perfecting our process
• Volunteers
• Natural disasters
• corruption

Other Ways You Can Help

Please check out our social media sites list below and share them if you have a free moment.

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialHappyHomes/ 
• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/_Happy_Homes 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/official_happy_homes/

The more people we show the true value of plastic the quicker society can become less plastic dependent and help save our planet.