HERO (Health & Education Relief Organization)

Health & Education Relief Organization (HERO)1 is a nonprofit NGO based in the United States that provides facilitation, engineering and knowledge resources for permanent-improvement projects in Haiti.

HERO works on the construction and project-coordination of schools, medical and dental clinics, wells, cisterns, water filtration and sewage treatment systems, solar ovens and electrical infrastructure throughout Haiti. This holistic approach to efforts to improve health and education in Haiti was espoused by the late Dr. Gerónimo Lluberas who spearheaded a series of medical missions to Belle Anse, in southern Haiti, beginning in 1998.

HERO’s knowledge base includes the development of standard designs for schools and health clinics that can be used in developing countries and modified based on local conditions. These designs also allow for staggered construction as funding becomes available. HERO has protocols to assess the overall infrastructure needs of the community surrounding a potential project site and methods for systems assurance, integrated budget responsibilities and tracking, critical path method, strict project controls and comprehensive documentation.

HERO partners with other NGOs and churches on project identification, funding, development and execution. Areas of expertise include planning and design, grant writing, fundraising, coordination with local contractors, procurement of materials and labor, and quality control.

The president and chief executive officer of HERO is Ted Waldbart; the vice president and chief engineer is Bruce Goddard.

Base of Operations

HERO is headquartered in Marietta, Georgia. It partners with several parishes in the Archdiocese of Atlanta and elsewhere in the Southeastern United States, and as well as with non-religious organizations.