Irish volunteers building on township housing progress

HUNDREDS of Irish volunteers arrive in South Africa today as party of an international effort to house impoverished families.

Up to 350 volunteers with the Township Challenge yesterday left Ireland for Mfuleni in Cape Town to help replace 50 ramshackle tin buildings with quality, sustainable housing.

They will join 30 other volunteers from South Africa, Britain and Germany.

Before his departure, organiser Niall Mellon said up to 500 houses were being built this year.

He added: “The primary struggle now is to get more money to build homes. But it’s a most fantastic feeling seeing all these Irish coming out on a mission.”

Volunteers, aged between 16 and 73 include businessmen, bricklayers, students and teenagers. Many are left with lasting memories, said Mr Mellon. “There’s barely a dry eye anywhere when they’re handing over the keys to families getting homes for the first time,” he said.

Up to 10 million in South Africa are thought to be living in sub-standard accommodation. However, Mr Mellon’s township challenge was not always viewed optimistically.

“Irish aid agencies originally rubbished the idea when I suggested it to them first. Five years on, though, and most have turned around. It was a blinkered view they had before,” he said.

Last year, 650 volunteers each raised €4,000.

During their trip, they assisted in the building of 106 houses but their funding provided for a total of 450 block houses in Imizamo Yethu, in schemes completed by local builders.

The project organiser said volunteers are allowed to put their feet up at night, but have to work to a tight schedule during their short stay.

“Any person who misses the coach in the mornings, due perhaps to excess alcohol or any other matter, is immediately sent back to Ireland. Out of the thousands of people who’ve come out with us, I’ve only had to do that once.”

Mr Mellon hopes to bring 1,000 volunteers to South Africa next year, making it possibly the biggest charity mission ever. Already Irish- American groups and chambers of commerce in the US have expressed interest in supporting the 2007 mission.

“Everybody takes away a bit of magic from this but it’s all about the families who have a right to have a roof over their heads,” explained Mr Mellon.