Women building homes for women

An article in the Observer about a Women's Build programme in Atlanta Georgia, affiliated with Habitat for Humanity, reminds us that the organization operates a local agency here in Jamaica.

Their stated goals are:
to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat invites people of all backgrounds, races and religions to build houses together in partnership with families in need.

Through volunteer labor and donations of money and materials, Habitat builds and rehabilitates simple, decent houses with the help of the homeowner (partner) families.

Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit, financed with affordable loans. The homeowners' monthly mortgage payments are used to build still more Habitat houses. Habitat is not a giveaway program.

In addition to a down payment and the monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor -- sweat equity -- into building their Habitat house and the houses of others.

According to the Observer reporting, the Atlanta...Habitat homes are built in groups, often in tough neighbourhoods, and the new owners have to be willing to be change agents.
This means that they institute things like neighbourhood watches and beautification projects to protect their investments
Habitat buys entire parcels of land, part of the quest to not only build homes, but neighbourhoods and communities.

The donor-funded houses are built in seven days.

Observer LINK:
www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/allwoman/Women-building-homes-for-women_109936 89

Do-Good-Jamaica::Habitat for Humanity Jamaica Abode:
www.dogoodjamaica.org/organizations/habitat_for_humanityjamaica_abode