Haiti Recovery & Development Company History
The beginning of the journey. January 17, 2010
Watching an episode of CBS Television's "60 Minutes" less than a week after the catastrophic earthquake that devastated Haiti, Jim Lange is brought to Haiti by death. Witnessing bodies being scooped up in backhoes, deposited in dump trucks and hauled to "nearby mass graves," he is called to right what he considers an affront to humanity.
HR&DC is established. February 2010
Vision established for Haitian National Memorial, 5 Cities for Haiti...
Where is Haiti's Marshall Plan? Lange Op-Ed
April 4, 2010 HR&DC CEO Jim Lange's Special to the Tampa Tribune "Where is Haiti's Martial Plan?" is published.
Jim Lange’s Vision For Haiti’s Recovery: Master Plan For 5 New Cities
October26, 2010. Jim Lange publishes his master plan for Haiti's recovery calling for "5 New, Modern Cities"
Haiti's Sacred Ground Op-Ed published
November 21, 2010, HR&DC CEO Jim Lange's Opinion Editorial is published in the Tampa Tribune announces the company mission for "raising the necessary funds and international awareness to convert this mass grave/landfill into a national memorial."
Haitian National Memorial & Peace Park Vision
The initial HR&DC vision for the Haitian National Memorial and Peace Park is created and calls for a “non-denominational, non-political sanctuary located on the mass grave sites in the Titanyen area. The site will be transformed into a secured place of reverence, with at least 8 prayer buildings, 10 pavilions, a cultural center, a caretakers house, and administration office, two utility buildings and a monument.” The vision includes plans for modern appointments of a city including water, lighting, sidewalks, parking, restrooms, and security. Design and development would include a design competition and an open bid for construction, and would provide full time Haitian jobs for 25 employees and 40 volunteers to oversee the operation.
Haitian Renaissance Delegation Concept
HR&DC announces Haiti Renaissance Delegation concept for an unprecedented pool of intellectual capital from around the world in 6 disparate sectors: Haitian Nationals, Diaspora, World Citizens, For Profit, Not-For-profit, and Academia.
1st Government of Haiti Meeting for National Memorial & Peace Park Initiative
January,13 2012. HR&DC CEO Jim Lange Meets with the 1st and 2nd Mayors of Croix des Bouquets, resulting in their Official request that a proposal for the Haitian National Memorial and Peace Park be submitted to their Mayoral Office to be reviewed and advanced through government protocols to the office of the President of Haiti.
Pignon becomes part of the Five Cities for Haiti plan
January 14, 2012. HR&DC CEO Jim Lange meets with Neil Van Dine, of Haiti Outreach, reaches agreement on plans to establish an enterprise zone in Pignon with the lofty goal to create Haiti’s third largest city over the next 10 years.
Proposal for Haitian National Memorial & Peace park submitted to Government of Haiti
March 28, 2012. The Haiti Recovery and Development Company completes and submits a formal proposal outlining the Haiti National Memorial and Peace Park initiative to the mayor’s Office in Croix des Bouquets. It is the 1st ever National Memorial document submitted to a Haitian Government Official and is reviewed and advanced through proper government protocols to Government of Haiti President Michel Martelly’s Office.
HR&DC begins mentoring program in Cite Soliel and Corail Resettlement Camp
April 2, 2012: HR&DC CEO Jim Lange begins laying out the basic structure of the mentoring program whereby poor children from Cite Soleil will be matched up with “at risk” children from the resettlement camp in Corail.
Another City Begins to Emerge: Mole St. Nicolas
April 3, 2012: HR&DC CEO Jim Lange meets with local government officials, community leaders and the citizens of Mole Saint-Nicolas to begin the process of converting the fishing village into a modern micro-community. In conjunction, HR&DC announces micro-financing program.
Lumiere University becomes a Haitian Renaissance Delegation partner
July 12, 2012: Rev. Jean-Chavannes, Dean of Lumiere University agrees to Renaissance Delegation concept allowing HR&DC complete and unfettered access to every student (2,500) and facility member (Several hundred) under his charge.
The Government Facilitating Organization (GFO) model announced
October 31, 2012: HR&DC CEO Jim Lange announces the concept of a Government Facilitating Organization designed to allow vulnerable nations to systematically and responsibly re-assume leadership of their own country. The GFO model provides host countries with a managerial apparatus that is sovereignty-centric, transparent, collaborative, and requires actual results for NGOs to operate in their country.
Hational National Memorial & Peace Park Meeting with 1st Lady of Haiti
January 14, 2013. Haiti 1st Lady Sophie Martelly meets with Jim Lange to review the proposed Haitian National Memorial and Peace Park project.
Haiti Recovery & Development Company Announces HLab Initiative at University Lumiere, Haiti
February 6, 2013: Business Incubator and Career Pathing program with Haiti’s University Lumiere that will ultimately involve 2,500 students, administrators, faculty, thousands of alumni and sponsors is announced.
Haitian National Memorial & Peace Park Leadership Committee announced
February 26, 2013. HR&DC CEO Jim Lange announces an 11 member, in country leadership committee to support the Haitian National Memorial and Peace Park initiative comprised of religious and community leaders, educators, former government officials and members of the private sector with the role of short term ambassadors and long term stewards of the initiative.
Haitian National Memorial & Peace Park plans evolve
New associates and partnerships emerg advancing the vision of the National Memorial and Peace Park including: • 225 Psychiatrists pledging to provide free counseling and treatment to anguished 1st Responders, equipment operators and field workers and families tormented by their experiences following the earthquake in January 2010. • The establishment of a plan to add a Wellness Center on the Haitian National Memorial and Peace Park grounds including a permanent team of trained counselors and Psychiatrists for those tormented by the loss of loved ones or their experiences following the earthquake. • The establishment of a Reconciliation Center for those tormented by other acts of carnage leading to lost souls interned in the mass graves beyond the earthquake.
University of Lumiere Business Incubator Student Selections Begin
March 25, 2013: University of Lumiere Business Incubator Student Selections begin. More than half of the schools’ 2,500 students actively vied for one of 90 available slots in the University of Lumiere Business Incubator program.
HR&DCmeets with Viva Rio on Resettlement Camps Transition.
May 10, 2013: Sharing Thoughts On Transitioning Corail Resettlement Camp Into A City, HR&DC CEO Jim Lange meets with Mariam Yardani of Viva Rio.
Corail Resettlement Camp Mentoring Program visited
May 13, 2013: Jim Lange Visits Cite Soliel School Leading Mentoring Program for Children at Corail Resettlement Camp
Father Frachette joins the National Memorial & Peace Park Initiative
August 16, 2013: HR&DC CEO Jim Lange meets with Father Frechette (a well respected religious figure and hospital administrator how for years has provided dignity for the dead by burying murder victims of the coups, epidemics, and various natural disasters - hurricanes and the earthquake). Father Frechette graciously agrees to assist HR&DC with the mass grave initiative.
HR&DC Meets with President Martelly's Staff on Resettlement Camps Transition
August 16, 2013: HR&DC CEO Jim Lange meets with key members of President Martelly’s staff responsible for managing Haiti’s resettlement camps to discuss the administrations strategy regarding the resettlement camps in Croix des Bouquets and the HR&DC initiative to transition three separate camps (Canaan, Corail and Jerusalem) into one contiguous city.
Haitian National Memorial and Peace Park Meeting At UN
October 18, 2013: HR&DC CEO Jim Lange meets with representatives of World Vision and the United Nations to discuss the Haitian National Memorial and Peace Park initiative.
HR&DC Initiates Build of a Wall to Protect The Graves at Titanyen
November 23, 2013: Protecting the fallen at mass graves at Titanyen, HR&DC lays the groundwork for building a wall to protect the mass grave sites.
Transitioning Resettlement Camps into a City
March 2014: HR&DC CEO Jim Lange meets with Father Bien-amie and numerous leaders from the surrounding Titanyen communities to discuss the status of the enterprise zone we collaboratively instituted in late in 2013.