Project Village Chance

The Village will be composed of a series of private apartments where the disabled will live in a completely secure and communal environment. At the center is a large area for a playground for sport and other recreational activities. “Accessibility for the disabled” will be a key component of the design. The architectural and construction exterior and interior design will be “handicapped-friendly”. The apartments will be easily accessible via ramps and wheelchair lifts constructed according to the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) and the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). In addition to the living quarters, the Village Chance will include a school for disadvantage kids, a lab and a training center for disabled people. Finally, residents and visitors will have access to a communal restaurant where hot meals will be served on daily basis and also an Internet café where everyone can check e-mails and access the outside world online.

Once completed, the Village Chance will provide housing for approximately 120 handicapped people and 175 disadvantaged children.

Thus the main objective of the Village Chance is to offer accommodation to disabled people at an affordable rent and allow them to live in community like people who do not have physical disabilities. They will be able to carry out normal everyday activities autonomously, like getting into the house and fulfilling all basic human needs with privacy and dignity, which they are lacking today.

The Village Chance will be constructed in Phases:
 

1.       Purchase the plot of land, grading of the plot, and perimeter fence. The total price for the plot of land (3513 m2) is approximately US$ 483,000 or about US$ 250 per square meter. This phase is now almost completed since Maison-Chance has been able to secure enough foreign donors to complete the acquisition of this plot of land.

2.       Construction of adapted accommodations, internet café, restaurant, kitchen and lodge for the guardian. This phase is estimated at US$106,600 and so far Maison-Chance has not yet found any foreign donor yet.

3.       Construction of guest housing, a playground, a rehabilitation pool, and acquisition of equipment for the restaurant. This is estimated at some US$50,000. No donor has been identified yet for this phase.

4.       Construction of the school and approach ramp. This is also estimated to cost about US$50,000 and no donor has been identified yet.

5.       Construction of adapted accommodation (on the second floor) and another approach ramp. The estimated cost in 2007 US$ is 125,000 and has yet to find donor.

The project’s realization cost is significant and needs help from external donors. We anticipate that once it is built, the Village will run itself with the money from renting and profit from the Internet café and restaurant operations. Village Chance will also have other financing resources: the housing and services offered to tourists and from renting out the playground for concerts or other shows.

As for the operating costs of the aquatic rehabilitation activities for the handicapped people and the school, these expenses are already covered in the operating budget of Maison-Chance itself and will not be considered as additional expenses.