WEHAV
Our Story
We are an international force, providing safe and equitable housing for those seeking refuge from climate-related disasters & emergencies.
Mission
To provide affordable fast-packed housing solutions to displaced populations facing famine, drought, war, and other climate-related catastrophes. We aim to expand the viability and habitability of our planet.
Vision
Housing the displaced
Values
Balance
Adaptability
Service
Innovation
Compassion
WEHAV Origin Story
Our origin story begins in 1978 when my father Dr. James K Holder II, a.k.a. Big Jim, created “We Have,” an automotive parts store that would source hard-to-find mechanical parts for those in the remote West African nation of Liberia. Over the years this evolved into his launching of The Liberian Steel Corporation, one of the first such plants of its kind in the region. Liberian Steel made use of the country’s natural iron ore resources, reducing the costs of developing housing, construction, and infrastructure locally. Though Liberian Steel was a business, many would come to ask for free sheets of metal to patch or pitch their roofs and of course, Big Jim would oblige.
In these times, the region was very unstable and after more than a decade of coups and struggles, Big Jim decided to launch LiCoRRR (Liberian Committee for Relief, Resettlement, and Reconstruction). This NGO worked with the US and other governments to secure relief in the form of food and shelter for Liberians during The Civil War which began in 1989
WEHAV is a reimagination of my father’s entrepreneurial and philanthropic efforts to protect the Liberian people during the unrest. Though he passed just a few years into Civil War, his vision, passion, and purpose are championed through us. WEHAV operates to shield those in devastated regions around the globe who are facing forced migration because of famine, drought, and natural disasters precipitated by climate change. Though our response is to an environmental unrest as opposed to a political one, many of the same principles and best practices for relief still apply. We are building a philosophy that adapts to climate change through smart community building and affordable, renewable fast-packed homes.
