Martina Malco-Riley, 48, is a mother of two from KP Lands in Valencia. The house they live in badly needs repairs and that's mostly because she has pumped all her money into her children's education. Daughter Hannah has studied biology at Caribbean Union College.
She lost her family home to fire at an early age, and her parents and siblings were scattered between relatives and friends. Unable to complete secondary school, Malco-Riley poured all of her money and energy into her children and their educational goals, and is proud of raising Joshua and Hannah to be disciplined, hard-working and successful students.
"Our family is very close, very loving. My goal is that the children do better than me, so I do what you have to do for family, make do with what we have, make choices and sacrifices for the people I love."
That love is generously shared with the neighbourhood's children, who come to her for homework help, to learn to read and write, and encouragement to stay in school even when the times are grim.
Soon, though, Malco-Riley will benefit from a Republic Bank-sponsored house as part of its pledge of $5million over five years to the Christian-based non-governmental organisation Habitat for Humanity.
"I do not want my kids to experience the pain I felt when my family broke up. This house will mean that I can have my family back together, all of us at home, living and loving under the same roof," Malco-Riley said.
Tracy Hutchinson Wallace, assistant to the fundraising Capital Campaign fund, said, "We have to build eight houses for Republic Bank this year."
The May 21 Land for the Landless draw random lottery draw held at the South National Academy for the Performing Arts, San Fernando, at which 500 people emerged lucky, has drawn attention to the issue of how do those who don't now own a home afford one in a pricey seller's market.
Case in point: a classified ad for a "small house" in Curepe has a $695,000 price tag; and that's on the low end of the spectrum. For low-income owners, that is people whose gross monthly income is between $1,000 and $5,000 and want to own a home, there's hope in Habitat.
Hutchinson Wallace said the NGO has roughly 1,360 applicants wanting to own a home on its database.
"Most people earn between $3,000 to $4,000," she said.
"With reference to the Land for the Landless Programme, HFHTT would be pleased to partner with the families involved. It should be noted that the grant received does not cover the full cost of a house. Therefore, for families with a gross monthly income of less than $3,000 (and who will also have a foundation provided by the State), HFHTT will work with them to complete the structure within our programme. Those earning between $3,000 and $5,000 may be eligible for our regular mortgage structure."
She described those who approach the Ganesh Sahadeo-chaired Habitat for Humanity, especially at its public outreach events on the Brian Lara Promenade, as people who sell pies, make doubles, work as part-time security guards and stay-at-home mothers with children with such disabilities as autism, cerebral palsy and, in one instance, brain tumours.
"A lot of stories of hardship," Hutchinson Wallace said.
To qualify for Habitat to build a home for them, applicants must own land or have legal permission to build on land from a legitimate owner. Houses are built at zero interest.
"In most cases, we have been doing some work with people who had certificates of comfort. That is one of our challenges; getting qualifying families who also have title to land."
And, they must be willing to put in what Hutchinson Wallace described as "300 hours of sweat equity."
"That means 100 hours of work on your house and 200 hours from your neighbour or someone else in the community.
"Many home partners might be single mothers with large families, people with special needs. Trinis are generous. Your hours can get worked by volunteers. It's not a hand out, but a help up. Many partners insist on paying back each and every cent," Hutchinson Wallace said.
Habitat's operating expenses are handled mostly by donations from individuals and tithes from other Habitat affiliates around the world.
Hutchinson Wallace explained that each Habitat national office in the world puts ten per cent of its funds raised into a general pot. For instance, Habitat New York plans to give a percentage of its ten per cent to cover T&T's operating expenses.
"So when Republic Bank or EOG Resources gives money, it goes to building a house," she said.
Habitat T&T, in existence since 1997, has built an average of 30 houses a year for the last five years. The NGO, which employs 17 people full-time, builds houses and provides housing solutions: repairs, finishings.
"Sometimes we have home partners who raise money on their own to do a foundation or walls and come in with a partner to finish it."
During its last financial year, which runs from July to June, it completed 59 housing solutions: 14 new houses, 30 repairs and 15 incremental housing solutions by providing hurricane straps to roofs of homes in Cumana, Toco, a coastal community ravaged by the September 2010 freak storm. Now Habitat's working on a reforestation programme. Houses have been built in Valencia, Cap-de-Ville, Mayaro, Couva, and Febeau Village in San Juan.
"It's a holistic way of moving people from one stage to another," Hutchinson Wallace said.
Repair jobs can cost from $10,000, and construction of a three-bedroom unit can be done at $150,000. Habitat has three types: one-, two- and three-bedroom homes.
"We can keep it at that price because of volunteer labour. Trinidad Cement Ltd has been generous because of the cost they sell us cement at," Hutchinson Wallace said.
She said Habitat has basic Town and Country Planning Division approval for its housing units, although the process for utility approval "can be a little long."
"Construction, meaning from approval to breaking ground to painting and handing over of keys, takes 16 weeks."
In its outreach sessions, Habitat asks people to donate whatever sums they can afford to assist with building homes for the less fortunate: "$100 a monthly for 12 months will put a roof on."
Hutchinson Wallace said Habitat is currently in the middle of an ambitious fundraising drive under the title, Capital Campaign.
"We have a distinguished panel of supporters headed by (Republic Bank chairman) Ronald Harford, who has Gregory Aboud, Helen Bhagwansingh, Eugene Tiah and Dominic Hadeed, on board. They are helping us by advocating in their network to raise $65 million in the next four years. We just crossed $18 million.
"We did a comprehensive feasibility study. We know we can reap that philanthropic harvest. When I was at (T&T) Red Cross (Society), after the Haiti earthquake, we raised more than $1 million in a matter of months," Hutchinson Wallace said.
"We know how to give."
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