Impact Report - March 2026
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
March was one of those months that reminds you why this work matters. Across the trade school, the construction sites, and the administrative offices, the Extollo team showed up with discipline, pushed forward with initiative, and delivered results.
Concrete panels were poured and lifted. New instructors were identified. A lease deed was signed. A water well partnership was born. Revenue was made. And none of it happened by accident. It happened because of people — choosing to do the work with excellence and integrity, one task at a time.
From Students to Instructors
One of the most exciting things happening at Extollo right now isn't a building going up. It's the people who are rising. March saw the creation of the Electrical Try-Outs — a one-day challenge designed to assess local electricians who want to join the training team. The goal: identify a new Lead Instructor who can carry the Level 1 program forward. That's what long-term impact looks like. Not bringing in experts forever — developing them locally, then handing it off.
In Masonry, students were excelling under the supervision of our Haitian instructors. But here's the moment that stopped us in our tracks: Kesnel, a mason with 13 years of experience in the trade, said the Extollo program "elevated his skills and gave him added confidence for future projects." Thirteen years of experience. Still growing. That's what a culture of excellence does — it raises the ceiling for everyone, regardless of where they started.
In Metal Fabrication, Wendy is now managing the full administration of the program. Female graduates Shenay and Wademise — both celebrated in past months for outstanding technical performance — continue to be a living testament to what Haitian women can do in the trades. New welding techniques were introduced, cohort sizes are growing, and Lead Trainer Vanessa and Assistant Trainer Michelet are flourishing as instructors. Michelet, in particular, has become a student favorite for his attentive coaching style.
Concrete Level 1 is Coming -- And it's a Big Deal
April marks the launch of Concrete Level 1 — and this isn't just another course. This program is specifically designed to feed students directly into Extollo's tilt-up production operations. That means training isn't separate from the business; it is the business. Students will learn volume calculations, soil testing, and subgrade preparation — then in week two, they'll work alongside the concrete team on a live slab project. Real skills. Real stakes. Real opportunity.
This is discipline and initiative working together — the kind of training that doesn't just hand someone a certificate, it hands them a future.
Revenue in the Books
Here's a line worth reading twice: Extollo's first concrete slab contract — signed last month — was delivered this month. The HHA (Extollo partner) concrete slab contract is complete.
That matters enormously. Every completed project builds a track record, and a track record builds a client base. The groundwork laid over months of training, planning, prototyping, and patience is now converting into real construction work with real results.
Guest house remodeling at Extollo partner, HHA, continued, bench and desk prototypes were refined for business development, and the kitchen container fabrication pushed forward. The team is building products people will buy and buildings that will stand.
The Champin Property: Walls and Wells
Two big milestones at the Champin property this month. First, the notarized deed of lease was signed by both parties. It's now moving through the Haitian government's department of imports registration — bureaucratic, yes, but real and necessary. The property is coming online.
Second — and this one is worth celebrating — a new partnership was established with Living Water International. Their team committed to developing a full water infrastructure proposal for the Champin site, including community mobilization, drilling, pump installation, water testing, and ongoing system maintenance. They're targeting a May 2026 launch. Access to clean water isn't a luxury — it's foundational to everything Extollo is building there.
This is what responsibility and integrity look like in action: not rushing, not cutting corners, doing it right, and bringing the right partners alongside.
The Quiet Work That Makes Everything Else Possible
The Haiti team held its first monthly all-staff meeting since relocating operations to the northern region — complete with shared reports, open discussion, and a team dinner to celebrate. That's team culture being built intentionally.
There's also the ongoing customs challenge around the donated electrical container — duties assessed far above the shipment's value. The team is in active negotiation with the port executive director to resolve it before the next shipment arrives. It's frustrating. It's also exactly the kind of thing that requires persistence, wisdom, and respect in the room. The team is pressing forward.
What's Ahead
April is shaping up to be a great month. Concrete Level 1 launches. A new Electrical Lead Instructor gets onboarded. Guest house remodeling continues. Panel production accelerates. The Champin property advances through registration. And the Kitchen Container Campaign? Spoiler: it already hit its fundraising goal!
The tension between revenue targets and operational capacity is real — and it's honest to say so. Growth is stretching the team. But at Extollo, that tension is part of the mission. We're a training-focused construction company, and that means we build people and buildings at the same time. It's harder. It's slower sometimes. And it's exactly right.
You're Part of This
Every panel lifted, every instructor developed, every well drilled — it happens because people like you believe it's worth doing. If you want to stay close to this work, follow us on social media, share the story with someone who needs to hear it, or come see it in person. There's nothing like witnessing transformation on the ground.
And if you want to be one of the steady foundations this work is built on, consider joining the Extollo Crew — our monthly giving community. For as little as $10/month, you help us plan ahead, pay our instructors and staff consistently, and offer students an environment of real dignity and real opportunity.
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