Roofing – Fixing or renewing roofs of houses in the Makongeni village

Project and its goals

Houses in the Makongeni village have poorly built roofs. Moreover the lack of financial resources forbids the population to main their roof tops. This exposes the house to the harsh climatic conditions including the sun and the rain. While the heat is still bearable, rain makes it worse. The lack of good roof-tops leaves the families under the threat of harmful reptiles (snakes, lizards etc.) and insects making their own homes an unhealthy place to live.

The goal of this project is to take ensure that people can live in dry houses with good well-built roof-tops. The project provides financial assistance and resources such as ropes and roofing material to the villagers fix or renew their roof. We inspect the current condition of the roofs and financial capability before deciding upon the amount/resources that can be arranged by the foundation. Volunteers also take proactive steps to identify families who are in need.

In the beginning of 2008, Ria and Jan Hulsbosch decided to share a portion of their profitable earnings from their Jasper stable in Holland. Their contribution triggered this project. They helped fix or renew roofs of 9 homes. We have seen a growing number of sponsors for this project (53 now).

Outcome, facts and figures

• Roof renewal/repair is done by the volunteers (from the villagers) of the foundation;
• Wood cutting is done at the foundations vocational training workshop locally (Jan Hulsbosch Workshop);
• Both men and women are given equal opportunity to volunteer and work at the workshop;
• Qualified personnel undertake younger individuals as apprentice;
• Workers/Apprentice earn about 1,50 Eur per day. This is the minimum wage;
• Only roof and the iron gun sheet are purchased from the local market. Wood is collected from the forest;
• Fixing or renewing a roof of the house costs 300 Eur approximately;
• Villagers who are employed in this project have a source of income to afford a living, which wasn't possible otherwise;
• Basic living standards which includes a shelter with a protective roof and minimum wage are available to the villagers;
• They have a dry place to sleep and earn to feed themselves.

We need your support

• The village counts 340 houses. More than half of it is ready to be fixed or renewed. We are working closely to acheive our goal. Yet without your help this will not be feasible;
• We require contribution in cash or kind (arrangement of roofing material locally, reference of suppliers etc.) to sustain the project.

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