Habitat for Humanity turns Mandela Day into Mandela week

There were tears of joy, cries of laughter and a real spirit at the launch of Habit for Humanity's international build week in Pelican Park in Cape Town on Monday morning. The goal: to build 67 houses in one week, starting on Monday 14 July, and, with the help over 750 volunteers, finish on Friday 18 July, Nelson Mandela International Day.

The housing development is a collaboration between the City of Cape Town, Habitat for Humanity and Power Construction, and will see a total of 3 200 new homes being built on 80ha of land. Volunteers from businesses around the Western Cape will be on site this week working alongside Pelican Park residents, some of whom will be the beneficiaries of the new houses.

"Habitat for Humanity has been our partner for the last three years," explained Sello Hatang, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation. "The response to this project has been amazing from corporates and citizens that want to do something, people who want to build our community brick by brick. We're also hoping that we can go past the target of 67 houses, and have 100 built by Friday."

John Bailey is the vice-president of the Pelican Park Homeowners' Association, and in an emotional speech that concluded the official launch, he conveyed his personal gratitude to the organisations involved in the project.

"I am grateful that I am where I am. I am standing here because I am also a beneficiary. I was on the waiting list for just over 27 years. And because of what people like you have put in, I have benefited in a big sense. I never would have owned a home. I simply cannot afford it. But because of these organisations, I have benefited. And I thank each and every one of you."

Dow Chemical was the first company in the world to partner with Habitat to build affordable homes across this continent, and President sub-Saharan Africa Ross McLean said: "We're not just building houses here. The beneficiaries will create homes, and we believe that a home is much more than just a roof over your head. Owning one's own home has got to be one of the achievements in life. Home is a place where great family memories are created, a place of comfort and warmth, a place where you can close the door and forget the troubles of the outside world for a while. For this reason, we believe everybody deserves to have a home."

The speakers addressed a room full of volunteers. Those in green overalls were Old Mutual staff (the company has sponsored 20 of the new homes in Pelican Park), while others donned shoes and hardhats that would prepare them for a hard week ahead.

"It's going to be a great experience," said Percy Knight of Power Construction. "I know after this week your life is not going to be the same. You are going to look at housing differently, and think about builders differently (because you'll be carrying dugga – mud plaster used to build houses – and bricks all day)! You'll know that for the people whose homes you've built, you've made a real difference in their life."

With that, volunteers stood up, stretched to warm up their muscles, and headed off to the building site in high spirits, chanting the Habit for Humanity battlecry: "Dugga Dugga Dugga! Gooi Gooi Gooi!"

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