Habitat for Humanity Trinidad and Tobago has invited the High Commissioner of Canada to Trinidad and Tobago, Mrs. Carla Hogan Rufelds, to take on the role of “Champion” for Women Build 2017. This year, we will see an entire home built primarily by teams of women for a Trinbagonian family during the month of October, which we celebrate informally in Trinidad and Tobago as “Habitat Month”.
Habitat for Humanity operates in over 70 countries and has served almost 10 million people with shelter solutions worldwide since 1976. Women Builds take place across the globe, where female leaders gather to give back to their communities and their sisters.
Women Build 2017 in Trinidad and Tobago will help our future Homeowner, Kathy, provide a safe, stable and familiar environment for her family to live independently and in security. The Women Build Project was launched with an invitation-only Women’s Breakfast in August, a gathering of prominent and influential women leaders from the diplomatic corps, business, government, the arts and civil society.
Habitat Trinidad and Tobago is encouraging women leaders to join hearts and hands to make a difference and transmit a positive message of hope and empowerment to the most vulnerable in our society. We hope that our women leaders will add their bit as we transform society through partnerships and solidarity.
Please register for the build here!
SAMPLE PROGRAMME FOR ONE DAY
8:30am Arrival and briefing
8:45am Work begins
10:00am Snack Break
10:10am Resume Work
12:00pm Lunch
12:40pm Work continues
1:30pm Snack Break
1:35pm Work Resumes
3:00pm Completion of work and Cleaning of tools
BUILD SCHEDULE
2nd October Casting of ground beam – concrete work using concrete mixer (30)
4th October Compacting and ground filing – packing foundation with sand using a compactor to level the work area (20)
6th October Cast floor slab – concrete work using concrete mixer (35)
9th October Installation of external frame for the home – drilling, bolting frame parts together (15)
10th October Installation of external frame for the home – drilling, bolting frame parts together (15)
11th October Installation of external frame for the home – drilling, bolting frame parts together (15)
12th October Installation of internal frame (15)
16th October Install external concrete boards (16)
17th October Install external concrete boards (16)
18th October Install external concrete boards (16)
19th October Install internal concrete boards (16)
20th October Install internal concrete boards and mudding of external walls – caulking of joints between wall boards (10)
23rd October Mudding of internal walls – caulking of joints between wall boards (12)
24th October Casting of drain and apron – concrete work using concrete mixer (30)
While not promoting gender bias of any sort, we are focusing on Kathy’s fortitude and tenacity, and her resolve to be cheerful and optimistic in spite of all sorts of discomfort and ailments. Kathy and her husband Ellery live in Sangre Grande (north-east Trinidad), in a wooden house on the verge of collapse. The floor is so precarious that Kathy has actually fallen through it. The home is beyond repair, and Kathy is not able to rebuild because both she and her husband suffer serious health issues.
