Evansville Courier-Press

Local News
Similar goals unite global Habitat leaders
By John Martin
Thursday, May 15, 2008

EVANSVILLE — Every time Habitat for Humanity builds a house in Evansville, the benefits are felt worldwide. For every house erected here, $2,500 goes to Habitat organizations in Botswana and Jordan, and Kabelo Seadimo, executive director of Habitat in Botswana, talked about his country during a visit to Glenwood Middle School.

The nation in southern Africa is the size of Texas, but it has only 1.8 million people. Major industries are diamonds, tourism and beef.

Habitat homes everywhere are modest, but in Africa, they are more so.
Averaging less than three rooms, a Habitat home in Botswana requires a $109 monthly payment. The total mortgage is $2,500, and construction takes about a month.

Seadimo showed the students slides of a house being built and of other activities in the country.

In Botswana and throughout the world, recipients of Habitat homes are expected to provide "sweat equity" to help build their home and those of others.

The organization's goal, Seadimo said, "is to make people happy."

This is Seadimo's first visit to the United States. He spoke at Glenwood in part because a strip of land on Shadewood Drive, near the school, has been purchased by Habitat of Evansville and is the projected site of 20 new homes.

Some of those homes could benefit students at Glenwood, noted Lori Reed, the local chapter's executive director.

Glenwood Principal Sheila Huff, whose son spent some time in Botswana while attending college, told her students that Habitat's message applies to their lives.

"Understand how fortunate you really are," Huff said, "and know that you can become even better with work."

About Habitat for Humanity of Evansville
Founded in 1984, Habitat for Humanity of Evansville is a nonprofit Christian ministry whose mission is to build and sell simple, decent houses to hardworking families in Vanderburgh and Posey counties. We partner with individuals, churches, businesses and civic organizations who share our vision to make adequate, affordable housing for all a matter of conscience and action.

To be eligible, families must have incomes at or below 60 percent of the area median income. They must have a need for housing, be willing to contribute 300 hours in sweat equity and have the ability to pay their mortgage based on a 25-year, no-interest loan.
For more information, go to www.evansvillehabitat.org or call (812) 423-5623.