Building better homes for Samoa

By Diedre Fanene 26 February 2016, 12:00AM

The first phase of a project designed to provide better homes for some families in Samoa is on target to be completed by the end of the month.

The Habitat Building Project is being carried out by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (A.D.R.A), Samoa Housing Corporation (S.H.C) and Habitat for Humanity, New Zealand.

Managing Director of A.D.R.A, Su’a Julia Wallwork. said that since the launching of the project last year in December, many families have applied and received assistance.

“More than a hundred have applied,” she said. 

“However they have to be qualified and meet the criteria of the Samoa Housing Corporation because they are the third party involved.”

A.D.R.A’s role is more or less to facilitate and liaise with families.

 “So we do the assessment on their needs and their site. We determine whether they want to build or refurbish it. Some of them want to rebuild their house that was damaged like their kitchen, bathrooms and so forth.

“[And] then we refer them to the Samoa Housing Corporation and then the applicants have to meet all the criteria for the repayment of the loan.

“So the loan is only for building materials but all the labour is provided by A.D.R.A and Habitat for free.”

Twenty-three houses have already been completed but they are looking to complete a total of forty by the end of March.

 “So at the moment we have a team of carpenters who are doing this project now,” she said.

 “Forty houses need to be built for families and that is just the first year which will be completed by the end of March.

“We also have applicants from Savaii who have already applied for this project and we have already assessed them as well.”

The second phase of the project is targeting 100 houses.

By Diedre Fanene 26 February 2016, 12:00AM

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