18 August 2005

Volunteers and new homeowners built 15 houses in Protea South, Soweto in just five days last week.

The build was part of Women's Day celebrations, held under the auspices of Women for Housing, a non-governmental organisation that trains women to become builders and to run their own construction companies.

Now the rest of the country might also get a chance to experience such a project.

Handing over their house keys to the new homeowners last Friday, Housing Minister Lindiwe Sisulu said, "We would like to see the same thing that happened in Protea South happening in other parts of the country."

The project was run by Habitat for Humanity South Africa, in conjunction with the national and provincial departments of housing and several company sponsors.

Habitat for Humanity is a non-governmental organisation that works to house the homeless, registering and selecting needy families who pay an amount towards their new houses. The bulk of the funds is raised through corporate sponsorships.

Minister of Housing Lindiwe Sisulu helping out (Photo: Tshepiso Seopa, City of Johannesburg)

About 300 volunteers lent a hand at the Protea South build, including the new homeowners, members of the community and representatives from the corporate sponsors. Team leaders of the house-builders were supervised by Women for Housing.

Work began on Monday, 8 August and by Friday much of the construction was complete, with walls and roofs erected. This week the plumbing and electrical connections will be installed.

Habitat for Humanity had initially hoped to build 15 houses, but could not find sponsors for two of the houses, bringing the target to 13. However, the national Department of Housing had stepped in to secure financial support for the other two houses, said Habitat for Humanity's Trevor Molefe.

For grandmother Constancia Masike, "the trouble of renting is over".

"I was once thrown out of a house I was renting by my landlord, and my four children and I were left without a home. I suffered from a stroke because of the stress caused by homelessness," she said.

"Now I have a key to my own house and a title deed that actually proves I am the owner of a house worth R50 000."

Source: City of Johannesburg

Want to use this article in your publication or on your website? See: Using SAinfo material

	Participants in the Women Build 2005 project in Protea South hard at work (Photo: Tshepiso Seopa, City of Johannesburg)

	Housing Minister Lindiwe Sisulu (second from right) flanked by representatives from Women for Housing (Photo: Tshepiso Seopa, City of Johannesburg)

	Supporting social entrepreneurs From shack to home in N West Cosmo City: a place to call home State, banks' housing drive Going after 'shoddy' developers Housing takes the high road Brickfields housing delivers Soweto, 100, looks to the future

	Department of Housing  Habitat for Humanity SA  Women for Housing

Features on South African women, SA's women of the year, SA's push for gender equity, gender update, links & more.