A Regina man who wants to help rebuild Haiti is on his way to the earthquake-ravaged nation.

Carlos Petit-Homme, who grew up in Haiti, boarded an airplane Thursday, bound for a small community south of Port-au-Prince.

Petit-Homme has launched a charity group, Western Canada Relief for Haiti, and is going to the country to help people living in tents find better homes before the rainy season hits.

Other members of the group will soon be joining him, including Saskatchewan Roughrider Chris Szarka, he said.

Petit-Homme started the group after the Jan. 12 earthquake struck, killing more than 200,000 Haitians and leaving more than 1 million without proper shelter.

Members of the group have specialized skills in such areas as public health, or, in Szarka's case, construction.

"It's going to be hard, but at the same time I have to stay strong," Petit-Homme said. "Five years, 10 years from now, we can sit back and say, 'We gave something back.' That's the objective and that's the goal."

Petit-Homme's wife and two daughter were at the airport Thursday to wave good-bye.

On of the daughters, Carline, 12, said she has mixed emotions as her father heads out.

"I'm feeling a sense of pride. I'm happy he's doing this, but at the same time, I'm kind of sad, because there's that 'What if?'" she said.

Petit-Homme and his group are staying until mid-March.

The rainy season begins in less than a month, according to the Associated Press.