The Hand in Hand Ministries again steps up and is building and donating a moderate-sized house for a needy Belizean family, free of charge. The house is being built on a lot in the Moya Street area in Lake I for a mother and her four children.
The house is estimated to be completed on Friday, and it will be dedicated that same day, at which time the keys will be handed over to the owner.
The construction began on Monday, March 4, and 12 volunteers from the United States, in collaboration with local builders, are constructing the house, a two-bedroom one-flat unit of plywood and plycem.
Bernard Panton, the director of programs and projects of Hand in Hand Ministries, told Amandala that they have built over 200 houses for needy Belizean families, and will continue to do so. At the completion of this present house on Moya Street, construction will begin on another house on Monday, March 11.
There is a program called Building for Change, which has been ongoing for the past 10 years, through which the Ministry builds moderate homes for families who cannot afford to build a house or pay rent. The house is built free of cost.
Panton said that the program does not collect any kind of fees or monies to build a house for the needy families. All that is required is that the new house owner must assist in building the house, and help in building homes for others. They must also attend programs to show them how to take care of the house, and they also must attend programs to improve themselves through life skills, which will be taught to them to make them self-sufficient.
Panton said that before the house is built, the family must have a lot which is cleaned and prepared, and the documents for the lot must be in their name, or if it is not in their name, they must have written permission from the owner of the lot for legal entry onto the lot to build the house.
The houses built are basic 16 foot by 16 foot units, with an 8 foot by 8 foot bathroom. Water and electrical power is not in place, and must be done by the family.