Women Build

Since Habitat first started in 1976, the movement has helped house over 225,000 families in more than 90 countries. In 1985, Habitat Canada’s first affiliate was founded in Winkler, Man. Habitat Canada now has 70 affiliates in all 10 provinces. The organization has placed more than 1,000 families. The Habitat for Humanity Women Build initiative started in the U.S. in early 2000. This program gives women volunteers their own build, and while men are not excluded, this is a predominantly female effort.

“We know that 80 per cent of volunteers are women but only 20 per cent of Habitat volunteers are women,” says Linda Peters, Human Resources Manager/Volunteer Coordinator for Habitat for Humanity, Winnipeg. “Habitat wanted to tap into this volunteer force and encourage women to volunteer in a non-traditional role in a non-threatening environment.”

When Women Build hit Winnipeg in 2005, women answered the call in droves. Volunteers could only work one shift because of the hundreds standing in line behind them. Women Build put two houses up that year and two houses the next. Another house was built in 2007 and again in 2008.

“Everything to do with house building comes from fundraising and every dollar that’s fundraised goes to housing,” says Peters. “We can assign people a house and for the rest of their life, they’ll know that their money went to build that particular house.”

The Habitat for Humanity ReStore covers all administrative costs including the building and salaries. Habitat holds the mortgage, and the payments go into a revolving fund that buys land and pays for related site costs like sewer modifications. Mortgage payments are based on income rather than the value of the house. Should a recipient’s employment situation change, the mortgage is adjusted so they are never putting more than 25 per cent of their income towards the payments. The idea is to make homeowners house-proud, not house poor.

The 2009 Women Build is one of 11 single family homes slated for the former Sir Sam Steele school site off Nairn Ave. There will also be 10 side-by-side units and a playground. The project will eventually house another 34 Winnipeg families. The homes will be built to Manitoba Hydro Power Smart Gold standards and LEED Silver or Gold. All Habitat houses are brought to the same basic stage in the pre-build. During that time, the Women Build volunteers may work on any of the houses but will move to the Women Build house during blitz week in July.

Peters says most Women Build volunteers do not have construction skills; in fact, less than five per cent come from trades programs. That’s fine because Habitat trains the volunteers under the guidance of a house leader. In Winnipeg, the house leader is a male staff member who has worked on Women Build houses numerous times. There are also crew leaders on builds. Some of those are Women Build volunteers who have honed their skills on earlier constructions.

When the volunteer crews are finished, a Habitat staff member inspects their work. The 2008 Women Build passed the test with flying colours.

“The Women Build volunteers typically work slower than the men but they do a really good job even if it’s their first year,” says Peters. “After a couple of years, a lot of those women ask to be transferred to the regular build.”

The first two Women Build years were sponsored by Home Depot, which generously provided funds and materials. Finding enough sponsorship since then has been a challenge with so many worthy charities competing for every dollar. The 2009 Women Build is actively seeking funds. To raise awareness and optimize fundraising opportunities, the Women Build committee is launching two new campaigns: Women Build Ambassadors and “The Boys in the Hall Helping the Girls in the House.”

Leah Roche is co-chair of Women Build for Habitat Winnipeg.

“The Women Build Ambassador program started in January and targeted 10 high profile women,” says Roche. “Next year we plan to recruit another five to 10 women and have the ambassadors work in two year phases.”

This year’s ambassadors include human resources specialist Barbara Bowes, philanthropist Ruth Asper and MP for Saint Boniface Shelly Glover. The Women Build committee familiarized the ambassadors with the program and provided them with gold pins. The pins are fashioned as hearts with a hammer inside. Ambassadors wear them as a conversation starting point about Women Build at special events, meetings and other networking situations.

“The Boys in the Hall” is a peer-to-peer fundraising challenge between Winnipeg firefighters and Women Build volunteers at the Sir Sam Steele site. The Women Build committee is meeting with the district fire chiefs to work out the details.

Roche says volunteers get involved in Women Build for all sorts of reasons.

She remembers one volunteer who had purchased a fixer-upper with her husband but in the middle of the renovation, the couple split up. The volunteer couldn’t afford to pay for the work so she decided to work on a Women Build to learn the skills needed to finish her own project.

“We have mothers and daughters, sisters, best friends, all coming out to volunteer together. One of our sponsors, Cambrian Credit Union, sends a group every year. It’s a team-building experience even though you’re not at work.”

One of the most inspiring parts of the Women Build experience is meeting the recipients. One woman who touched everyone’s heart was Frances, a single mother of six. Frances escaped from a war-torn West African country seven years ago and worked hard to build a new life for her family in Canada.

“When I first came to Canada, a friend told me that if I worked in health care I would always have a job,” says Frances. Frances took a seven-month course at a local vocational school and found work as a home care worker almost immediately.

The family, including Frances’ mother, lived in two rentals before applying to Habitat. One was too expensive, the other in an undesirable environment. Frances said she could sometimes hear gunfire, which terrified her. She worried about drugs and the effect on her children.

One day a friend told her about Habitat and the two women attended an information meeting.

“I never thought I would get a house,” says Frances. “My friend said why not put in an application and see what happens.”

What happened is that Habitat ultimately approved Frances, and that year Frances’ house was the Women Build. Recipients are required to volunteer a certain number of hours. Leah worked alongside Frances on the house. She says there couldn’t be a more dedicated volunteer.

 “Frances was on her build site every single day,” says Roche. “Her son was too young to work on the build but he would come by every lunch hour and help any way he could.”
Frances and her family also volunteered at Habitat events and in the office. She completed her “sweat equity” volunteer hours in record time and continues to stay in contact with her benefactors.

“I’m really enjoying my home,” says Frances. “Now we all have our privacy. My children are going to a good school. We are so happy. I don’t know how to thank the Habitat people. I will forever be grateful to them and to all Canadians.”

Leah remembers driving home after Frances’ Women Build key ceremony dedication. She felt so overcome she had to pull over. “I phoned my husband and I said, “This day is the most humbling day of my life.”

Experiences like that and the opportunity to meet people so motivated to change their lives, is what Women Build gives back to its volunteers. In turn, Women Build volunteers give the recipients shelter, camaraderie and a future. They help make every house build into a home.

WHO QUALIFIES?
Habitat for Humanity recipients do not get a free house. The houses are interest free and don’t require a down payment but applicants must meet these criteria to qualify:

WANT TO BUILD SOMETHING SPECIAL?
Whether you’re a prospective corporate sponsor, an individual donor or an aspiring build volunteer, please contact Linda Peters at 233-5160 or by email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

You can learn more about Habitat for Humanity and Women Build on the Habitat Canada website: www.habitat.ca