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Building
Habitat's Global Village and Discovery Center in Americus recreates a slum in an
effort to educate visitors about the nature of worldwide poverty housing.Habitat
builds simple houses with locally appropriate materials. This could mean
concrete block homes in Third World nations or poured concrete-walled homes in
hurricane-prone regions of the United States. Chapters of Habitat in more
developed countries are strongly encouraged to donate a tithe of ten percent of
the money they raise for local housing to the national group for the purpose of
building Third World homes. For instance, Habitat New Zealand builds one house
in Fiji for each house they build in New Zealand.
Habitat relies on volunteer labor in order to construct simple and affordable
homes for its partner families, as well as to build community and civil society
in the areas in which it works. Most volunteers are unskilled prior to first
working with Habitat, although some professional or retired tradesmen or
contractors may donate their services. Many churches and other houses of worship
(synagogues, temples, mosques etc.) sponsor houses and provide a large amount of
the volunteers from their congregations. Some corporations and businesses who
value good corporate citizenship provide financial support to the projects
and/or donate materials for use in construction. Many politicians and
celebrities have volunteered with Habitat, reflecting its profile as a highly
regarded non-profit.
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