Habitat
For Humanity® Trinidad & Tobago dug deep in the trenches in
its continuing battle against the eradication of poverty housing
to enlist the services of the HMCS Fredericton to assist in
ensuring that two deserving families would have a secure place to
call home base.
Starting
at the beginning is PO Josie Plowman |
 Her Majesty's Canadian Ship
FREDERICTON is the eighth of twelve Canadian Patrol Frigates
commissioned to the Canadian Navy. Boasting a complex Command and
Control System (CCS) combined with an impressive array of modern
weaponry and sensors, this ship is considered to be one of the
most advanced general-purpose frigates in the world. More
impressive however, than the advanced weaponry and tactical
capabilities of the ship, was the warmth and caring that was
displayed by 21 of its crew members. The shipped berthed in Port
of Spain on July 21, 2007 and immediately sought to engage the
citizenry in some worthwhile endeavor. Under the auspices of
Habitat For Humanity Trinidad & Tobago and with the blessing
of the Canadian High Commission, the crew was put to work on two
of Habitat's home partner locations in Couva and Chaguanas. By the
end of the day the crew and members of Habitat's board and
national office had completed one home and substantively finished
another. |
 It
all started with a crisis. Millard Fuller, a millionaire by the of
30, discovered that money was not enough to keep his family
together. When Linda Fuller left him, Millard knew something had
to change. From millionaires to missionaries, the Fullers gave
their belongings, then their lives to serving God and others. The
Fullers visit Koinonia Farm, a small, interracial, Christian
farming community founded in 1942 outside of Americus, Georgia, by
farmer and biblical scholar, Clarence Jordan. Here Fuller and
Jordan came up with the concept of sweat equity and a revolving
fund, while milking co ws.
After testing the model with Clarence Jordan, and refining it in
Zaire, where they built 100 houses, the Fullers return to
Americus, Georgia and found a new Christian housing ministry,
calling it Habitat for Humanity.
The first Habitat for Humanity
House is finished in Georgia and the Fullers take their first
steps into Latin America in the rural community of Aguacatan,
Guatemala.
Ex-President Jimmy Carter and his
wife Rosalyn, become Habitat Volunteers, launching the now famous
Jimmy Carter Work Project.
Habitat declares its victory over
substandard housing in Americus, Georgia and dedicates its 100,000
home worldwide. Over 34,760 are in Latin America and the
Caribbean. |
|
Management
guru Peter Drucker once said, “management is doing things right;
leadership is doing the right things,” and this is most evident
in those who selflessly answer the call to serve with no personal
gain as incentive. This is especially true in the case of the
individuals that have served Habitat for Humanity® Trinidad &
Tobago as Chairman of the National Board of Directors.
From
the conception stage and through its embryonic period Mr. Clive
Pantin assumed the role of Chairman of the National Committee from
1995 to 1997. During this period Mr. Pantin skillfully and
lovingly cleared the path by inviting the Area Director for the
Latin American & Caribbean of Habitat for Humanity, (Mr. Steve
Mickler), to
Trinidad
to assess our worthiness and
start the process of establishing an affiliate organization.
Habitat
for Humanity® Trinidad & Tobago was registered in 1997 and
there was a handover of the National Committee to a formal Board
of Directors. This warranted a Chairman to be elected and Mr.
Pantin handed over the reins to Mr. Francis O’Neal, whose
expertise lay in the field of Information Technology and Civil
Engineering.
Mr.
O’Neal’s focus was largely centered on the building of the
Habitat for
|
Humanity®
brand and sowing the seeds of faith, mission and mandate. He had
the laborious task of staffing the organization and
institutionalizing the many policies and structure requirements.
After Habitat had been properly formalized the baton of the
chairmanship was passed on to the very capable hands of Mr. Mitra
Attai, whose forte lay in the field of Finance and Accounting.
During Mr. Attai’s tenure the local organization solidified its
position as an NGO by the strengthening of the institution through
greater staff and volunteer development; affiliate development and
fund raising at the affiliate level. Given his background he
actively sought transparency and soon enlisted the services of the
accounting firm of KPMG as Habitat’s external auditors and
implemented the international Sun Accounting System Software to
facilitate our internal accounts. He also intently
pursued the then President of the Republic, His Excellency,
ANR Robinson, to act as patron of Habitat for Humanity® Trinidad
& Tobago. Mr. Attai also led the expansion of the building of
houses and the formation of national partners.
At
an international level, Mr. Attai presided over the country’s
first Youth Build, held here in
Trinidad
in the year |
2000
which was attended by representatives from 13 countries, including
the Latin American and
Caribbean
region and a contingent from the
USA
.
Mr. Attai gave way to Mr. Chanka Seeterram in late 2000, another
finance specialist and existing Board Member, who remains in
office today, and is the longest serving entity in Habitat for
Humanity®’s short existence here in Trinidad & Tobago. Mr.
Seeteram’s tenure is largely characterized by the drive to
become self-sustaining and widen the involvement of our volunteer
base to engage as much of the corporate citizens of our island as
its private citizens. He typifies the diligence of the
organization by steadfastly promoting its mission at every
opportunity and headed the World Leaders Build in
2001 in
Trinidad
, which was attended by several
key figures in the political landscape of the country, as well as
the management of our multinational and local businesses. He
instilled an aggressive determination to improve our efficiency in
our core competency of construction and expand the scope of our
services to assist more individuals.
To
those that have answered the call and responded with distinction,
we salute and thank you. |
