Leaders help build house for Habitat
When Elsa Augustine moves into her new home at 6618 Police Street, she will have no shortage of stories to tell her friends and neighbours. After all, how many Belizeans can boast of living in a house built by the likes of Said Musa, Johnny Briceno and a dozen other diplomats and community leaders. It’s all part of Habitat for Humanity’s “World Leaders Build”, and while we didn’t manage to find any world leaders at the site this afternoon, we did see a number of Belizean citizens, hard at work.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Elsa Augustine’s three-bedroom house has come a long way since we last visited the site at number 6618 Police Street. The house is the seventh to be constructed in Belize City by Habit for Humanity. The labour is done by volunteers, who are either recruited by the organisation or simply show up and do the work.
Carla Sainsbury, Project Co-ordinator
“It takes a lot of co-ordination because it involves government ministers, honourary councils, pastors, City Councillors, we have our own volunteers, the B.D.F. So it took a lot of co-ordination but it was easy getting them to commit to this work.”
Jacqueline Woods
“What have the volunteers been doing?”
Carla Sainsbury
“They have been painting, cement washing, septic tanks, stairs, ceilings, caulking the windows, putting in the windows and doors, everything that entail’s getting a house finished.”
Augustine was not at the house when we arrived, but she also has been actively involved in the project.
Carla Sainsbury
“Miss Augustine is a single mother of seven children. So she was a family in need, living in an indecent house. So through the programme she can live in a decent and affordable house that she’ll be able to pay back the mortgage with no interest.”
It is a special programme that benefits everyone who participates…even if it means getting dirty in the process.
Bruce Codd, Volunteer
” I am in the engineering platoon of the B.D.F. and they sent us to help as much as we could.”
Jacqueline Woods
“And what attracted you the most about the programme?”
Bruce Codd
“In the field which I am in the force, it makes us continue to carry on with our career, which includes the construction of buildings.”
Erna Jones, Volunteer
“I decide to become a volunteer because I’m concerned about people and their well being. I’m just that kind of person that loves to give. What I like about the programme is that a person in need is going to be in a beautiful home.”
Augustine is expected to move into her beautiful home on the weekend. Reporting for News 5, Jacqueline Woods.
Habitat for Humanity is a global Christian organisation that helps people to build low cost, quality homes.
