How it works – a Hand up, Not a Hand Out

The work is not give-away, but self – help. Habitat provides capital, materials, training and co-workers. Homeowner families provide “sweat equity” in the form of block making and unskilled labour. They buy their houses, paying back a no interest mortgage over a period of 3-6 years. The payments remain in the community and become the seed money for more houses. Habitat for Humanity does not enter a community unless invited and local committees are made up of area leaders, homeowners and interested parties help to manage the programme. These committees are responsible for overseeing the program including the selection of homeowners, house designs, financial accountability and construction.

Houses are generally two and two and a half rooms, made of cement block walls, concrete floors and iron sheet roofs. Apart from house construction, HFHB does home improvement, whereby already existing houses are renovated or extended depending on the client’s need. Average house cost in Botswana is P18, 000 including administrative and transportation costs.

Average monthly mortgage payment is P160. Because homeowners make their own blocks and help build each other’s homes as well, costs are kept low. An inflation adjustment pegged to the price of cement is built into the mortgages.

FIGURES:
House Numbers (as of September 2008)
 

Affiliate	Numbers
D`Kar	10
Kasane	246
Francistown	105
Kavimba	63
Gasita	37
Serowe	202
Ghanzi	75
Serule	60
Kanye	15
Chadibe	147
Tshimoyapula	60
Matlhako	66
Mahalapye	143
Dukwi	190
Letlhakane	68
Mokubilo	49
Machaneng	68
Jwaneng Hub (Sese)	53
Jwaneng Hub (Maokane)	1
Mmaphashalala	28
Sefhare	60
Total No of Houses	1746