Global Builders - South Africa

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Nicknamed "The Rainbow Nation" due to its great diversity, South Africa is a country of both great promise and great need. Although the second largest economy in Africa, more than 50% of the population lives under the poverty line and an estimated 2.1 million families in South Africa live in poverty housing or are effectively homeless. Much of these are concentrated in the townships outside Cape Town proper where the specter of Apartheid is still felt, despite having ended more than 20 years ago. The cost of land is extremely high and the average cost of a home is about $35,000 USD, well beyond what most working class families can afford. These prices force many families to become "backyard dwellers", setting up temporary homes on the properties of others.

The Fuller Center for Housing Western Cape, directed by Bishop Louis Green, who was displaced by apartheid and grew up in a township himself, helps families in townships make improvements to their homes. It also will bring relief to the "backyard dwellers" in townships such as Bonteheuwel by partnering with property owner families to replace the wood and metal shacks with permanent homes. FCH South Africa is led and organized by South Africans, so they know both how to meet the needs of their communities and how to introduce international teams to their wonderful nation.

The Fuller Center seeks to offer an opportunity, not a hand-out. As such, families are required to put in a number of hours of their own labor, termed sweat equity, into their own home and those of their neighbors. In addition to providing safe housing, these trips provide locals with jobs, help support the local economy, and create a life-changing experience for all involved.

We invite you to join us to see the country and lend your hands to families working hard to have a decent place to live! Participants will have the unique opportunity to work side by side with the homeowners and other locals to build these new homes. On your days off you'll go touring to see the countryside and various historical areas. If you have a heart for combining service, travel and new experiences, this trip is for you.

Contact us for more information!