Volunteers ‘Dander for Doors’!

Safe homes protect families around the world from COVID-19 and other diseases. 

For over 40 years, Habitat for Humanity have been protecting families by delivering vital housing and sanitation programmes globally. 

As part of the charity’s ‘Home Safe Home’ fundraising campaign, staff and volunteers from Habitat ReStore here in Ballymena (at Bridge Park) walked 100 miles around the Ecos Centre, to raise funds for some of the most vulnerable communities in Africa. 

The store had aimed to raise £250, the cost of around five doors for Habitat homes in Africa. So far they have raised more than three times their target, more than £775. Store manager Isobel Kerr said; 

“JUST £25 COULD BUY A WINDOW FOR A HOME IN ZAMBIA. £45 COULD PURCHASE A SAFE AND LOCKABLE DOOR FOR A FAMILY IN MALAWI. SMALL AMOUNTS CAN MAKE BIG DIFFERENCES, AND HERE AT RESTORE WE WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR FAMILIES IN SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES. THAT’S WHY OUR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS ‘DANDERED FOR DOORS’ AROUND THE ECOS CENTRE LAST WEEKEND!” 

It is estimated that the COVID-19 pandemic has plunged more than 100 million additional people into severe poverty and threatens to undo decades of progress in international development. 

The average cost of building a safe and secure Habitat for Humanity home in Africa is now approximately £5,500. This year Habitat for Humanity Northern Ireland want to raise the funds to build fifteen homes with access to water and sanitation in three of their partner countries; Ethiopia, Malawi & Zambia. The ‘Home Safe Home’ campaign is encouraging local people to take on a challenge, get sponsored and fundraise for those most in need.