EIGHT people from the Isle of Man are getting ready to travel to Jordan to help a charity build new homes.
The group will spend a week in the Al Mokabah Al Tahata region in the north of Jordan working for Habitat for Humanity.
Habitat for Humanity aims to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness and make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action.
So far it has built and renovated more than 400,000 homes providing more than two million people with safe, decent and affordable shelter.
The group travelling to Jordan consists of Brendan Beeken, general manager of the Slug and Lettuce in Douglas, Sharron Gautrey and Caroline O'Connell from Lloyds TSB International, Sally Benton of the Isle of Man Children's Centre, Craig Creegan and Derek Gray, IT consultants at Skanco and IFG respectively, and Natalie Parks of The Vineyard.
They will help to build a new home for a man called Ehab which will give him a roof over his head and allow him to embark on family life as local tradition demands a man must have a home before he can marry.
In addition to giving their time the team has raised more than £10,000 to pay for the trip and for materials for the building work.
This has been raised through a number of fundraising initiatives, backing from Royal London 360° and support from Marown Brownies and the Strand Shopping Centre.
Brendan explained: "Throughout the year the fundraising has been boosted by support from staff and customers at the Slug and Lettuce as well as team members entering the End to End and Parish Walk. Brave team members also volunteered for head shaves and full body waxes to raise cash.
"We have been overwhelmed by the support shown so far and we cannot thank those who have helped enough. The money they have raised or donated will be used to lift another human out of poverty housing and thanks to the way Habitat for Humanity works he will feel ownership and dignity through working on this construction and helping to pay for it."
Habitat houses are built and then sold to families with affordable loans. The homeowner's monthly mortgage payments are then placed in a revolving fund that is used to build or renovate more Habitat houses.
The charity says this is not a giveaway as in addition to a down payment and the monthly mortgage payments homeowners are required to invest hundreds of hours of their own labour- "sweat equity" – into building their Habit home and the homes of others.
Brendan continued: "Opportunities like this rarely come up and it is very personal as our efforts in the community there will be improving the lifestyle and living of a family and all it costs us is time. As the week go by everyone is really excited about the trip."
If anyone would like to make a donation to the team to help them be able to carry out more work while they are in Jordan please contact Brendan by e-mailing bbeeken@manx.net or on 07624 214666.
For further information about the work of Habitat for Humanity visit www.habitat.org
