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The program “Fund for better home” is being realized in Macedonia
“Habitat” builds homes for happy families
“We repaired our house for the first time 30 years after we built it” ,says grandpa Vase proudly, showing us the new roof, which he made with the money from the loan he took from the “Fund for better home” program of Habitat Macedonia.
In the house in Rakotinci, near Skopje, he lives with his wife Dusanka and his son Goran. “We have had some big problems in the past few years since the roof started leaking and filled the attic and the basement with water. We had to manage somehow so that the water does not enter our rooms. I referred to all banks offering loans so that I can get some help to fix the house, but I received negative answers from all of them. They say the pensioners are nit given loans because they are a risk group, although my pension is a guarantee that I can return the money. At 72 I was unable to get a loan from anywhere, and my house was falling apart”, tells grandpa Vase.
He heard about Habitat and their partner “Moznosti” on TV. He liked the idea and he contacted them immediately. Habitat representatives visited his home in the next few days and after they had determined the damage to the house and the urgency of it being repaired, in less than 10 days, he received the 4 000 euro loan.
“He used the opportunity that Habitat’s first program is offering. That program called “Fund for a better home” has been active in our country since May 2005. So far the program has provided 120 loans throughout Macedonia and 64 reconstructions had already been finished”, says Darko Buldioski PR at Habitat. The program is specially designed for poorer families who do not have their own funds to invest in their homes, but who receive regular monthly income. The minimum income per family for receiving the Habitat loan is 16 000 denars. It is also necessary to have endorsers. The program is present in all parts of the country where there is population of lower social status and where there is need for reconstruction. In the last period it has been spread in the territory around Skopje, where we also gave several loans.
“So far the loans have been taken for reconstructing roofs, removing the dampness or upgrading to the existing living space. The sum moves between 2 000 and 4 000 euros, depending on the needs of the family and on their ability to pay off certain monthly amount”, says Budioski. He explains that the procedure starts by visiting the home of the applicants in order to determine the factual condition and the true need of reconstruction. Then, the partner-family contacts the savings bank “Moznosti” which has local offices in eight towns in Macedonia. They provide the financial part of the loan as implementing partners of Opportunity International.
Today, grandpa Vele’s roof does not leak any more thanks to the skillfulness and the personal engagement of all members of the family. Some money was left to renovate the floor in the house, to cement the basement and to fence the balcony. All the work was done in just few days. Part of the works were workers from the village. The living conditions of Bojoski family are much better now, and, thanks to Habitat, they no longer live in fear that the dampness and the water will endanger their health.
“I am very grateful to Habitat for their help. I told everyone I know, my friends, neighbors and relatives who need money to repair their homes about this excellent opportunity. The conditions are very favorable and better than the ones offered by any bank. I will be paying off my loan in the period of five years, 5,300 denars a month, says grandpa Vase. He will have something left from his ex-policeman pension to give to his grandchildren. He says that if he stays in good health, he is going to apply for a new one after he has paid out this one. To repair some other things at home.
Habitat will act in Veles
They informed us at Habitat that in the near future, the realization of the traditional program for building apartment according to “Habitat standards” will start in Veles. The land as already been provided. Habitat apartments are aimed for the poorer families who have not resolved their housing issues yet, but who also possess certain material assets to pay for the investment in their new home. It means that the money Habitat invests in the new homes will turn into a favorable long-term loan for the family.
The apartments will be constructed following the Habitat directions, aiming for simple, decent and available home, with enough space (square meters) per person and in whose construction should participate the partner-families themselves. The participation in the construction, shoulder to shoulder with the other volunteers, is one of the basic strivings of Habitat, where they think that investing your own effort in your own home creates a feeling of community, which is as important as the home itself.
“The families will be selected regardless of their religion or nationality, only on the basis of their need and readiness to be partners in the construction. The target group will usually be young married couples, who, due to different reasons, have not provided homes for their families”, says Buldioski. Volunteers from Macedonia and the world will take part in the construction, just like everywhere in the world where Habitat builds. Professional help in for making the project and for professional construction works will be provided for every family.
Habitat, as part of its midterm strategy, will soon start realizing the project aimed for the target group – Romas. According to Buldoski, it is an extremely vulnerable category of citizens, usually socially endangered, living in sub-standard conditions. Partner in this program will be the organization “Horizonti”, which, has so far worked on micro-crediting this population. According to the plan, loans of about 1 000 euros will be given for reconstructing and repairing the houses. The project will be realized in the municipality of Suto Orizari in Skopje.
Sanja Naumovska
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