Habitat for Humanity Northern Ireland

Contact information HFH Northern Ireland 638 Springfield Road Unit 29 Farset Enterprise Park Belfast BT12 7DY United Kingdom Phone: +44 2890262940 Fax: +44 2890331878 E-mail: PeterF@habitatni.co.uk         Web site www.habitatni.co.uk
Country profile

Since starting in Northern Ireland in 1994, Habitat for Humanity has focused on areas of housing blight that have resulted from 30 years of community conflict. Habitat for Humanity Northern Ireland sought to be a catalyst for reconciliation in the divided communities by breaking down the walls of separation and helping to revitalize communities most at risk. Later, it moved to other local building and rehabilitation projects and started supporting Habitat’s development work in other parts of the world.

How Habitat for Humanity works in Northern Ireland

Habitat Northern Ireland builds relations with leading businesses and churches, sends volunteers on international building trips through the Global Village program, and works with institutions and development foundations. A significant number of individual donations provide the funds necessary to support local and international building programs.

Local building program

Habitat for Humanity Northern Ireland, in partnership with Tyrone Timberframes, is building energy-efficient houses that do not require a central heating system. Every constructed house uses advanced technology that reduces heating requirements by 75 percent, making traditional central heating systems redundant. The first construction is taking place in a neighborhood in East Belfast.

International volunteers

Habitat Northern Ireland sends volunteers to different countries around the world to help families in need of decent housing. Since its foundation, it has sent more than 3,000 volunteers. Almost one out of 600 Northern Ireland residents has been on a Habitat building trip. Physically and financially, volunteers contributed to the construction of more than 1,000 homes worldwide. In 2009, to mark World Habitat Day and celebrate the 15th anniversary of Habitat’s work in Northern Ireland, more than 200 volunteers traveled for a weeklong build to Romania to help construct homes alongside orphans.

School and youth programs

Since its launch in the autumn of 2006, the Habitat for Humanity Good Relations and Citizenship Program has provided an opportunity for young people to work together, challenging stereotypes and creating greater awareness of global poverty issues. It brings together students from diverse backgrounds for two classroom sessions and one day of on-site building. Classroom discussions are designed to encourage and motivate students to consider the factors influencing their society and demonstrate the role they can have in reconciling and regenerating communities.

Corporate partners and churches

Partnership is at the heart of Habitat’s work. Corporate partnerships offer an opportunity beyond traditional check writing through local and global volunteering trips to build homes alongside families in need of decent shelter. Habitat Northern Ireland has appreciated the support of such companies as Cemex, Gilbert Ash, Lafarge, NHBC, Momentum and others.

Meet a Habitat family

Gyongy Horvath, from Beius in Romania, was abandoned by her parents when she was 2 years old. She stayed in the state-run orphanage until she turned 18. As she was officially of age, she had to leave the orphan house. Gyongy slept wherever she could, including train stations. After trying several ways to earn a decent living, she started working in construction and got involved with Habitat, volunteering at build sites throughout Romania. Last spring, she was selected by Habitat Romania for a new home. She worked alongside volunteers from Northern Ireland on the completion of her new home during the weeklong Big Build in Romania.

What the volunteers said