Habitat introduces low cost housing model
HABITAT for Humanity (Guyana) Incorporated has put smiles on the faces of another family, that of Shameena Doodnauth, who received the keys to a newly built house on Wednesday. The beneficiary, who is a young teacher and mother of a 15 month old baby girl, said they have been forced to live in deplorable conditions, as she could not afford their own home.
The 27-year-old woman said that her baby became sick for one month after the close neighbours continuously lit fires that would leave smoke in her tenanted apartment and that was among the reasons which caused her to approach Habitat.
She said her family had used their savings to purchase a plot of land in Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) but due to financial constraints, could not start building a better home for themselves.
Doodnauth said she was, however, sure that she wanted betterment also for her toddler.
Habitat National Director Rawle Small said the first time he heard of her family’s plight, he assured her that she would be assisted in any way possible.
“Shameena visited our office early one morning with her baby in her hand and she was explaining her current living situation and was in tears and she said that she did not have the financial capacity to get things done for her baby,” he reported.
Small said, from the time of the initial meeting between them, both parties have worked very hard to ensure that the family was given the privilege of owning a home.
According to him, yesterday represented the culmination of the family’s dream of ownership and marked a significant milestone for Habitat since it has, successfully, launched a new low cost, fully spacious and affordable housing model that targets a section of the population that, too often, lacks the means to build a home without affordable financing options.

CORE HOME
The Habitat core home is fully concreted and costs approximately $1.5M, including electrical installation, plumbing, sanitation and an extension plan.
Small expressed satisfaction and appreciation of Habitat Guyana team board and local partners who helped to make Doodnauth and her family dream a reality.
He also commended her for her courage and hard work during the construction process.
Small observed that housing for low income families in Guyana is a major issue, considering the staggering number of homes in need of repairs, the level of personal investment required by them, especially to obtain a mortgage and the challenge of providing appropriate and useful complementary community development and regional incentives for the purpose.
He acknowledged, as well, that housing development in Guyana must be strengthened as a national issue and seen as a poverty related and development phenomenon by all sections of society.
“Whilst the Government has done a remarkable job of house lot distribution and working with the Private Sector to provide reduced cost mortgages, there is still a need for collaboration on other housing services,” Small remarked.
He said adequate shelter or housing and community development must be a concern shared by all sections of society because, ultimately, it impacts the well-being of families and communities.
In this regard, Small challenged stakeholders to be more accommodative, open and willing to collaborate beyond niche areas and adopt a bottom line approach on innovative housing development initiatives in Guyana.