Ten families from the community of Warapoka in Region One yesterday received keys to their brand-new elevated timber houses, through the government’s Hinterland Housing Programme.
Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, officially handed over the keys to the families during an outreach in the region, the Department of Public Information (DPI) said.
This forms part of a commitment made by the minister during a solar panel distribution in Warapoka in November last year.
One of the beneficiaries, 78-year-old, Doreen Fredericks said that she always wanted a spacious house to comfortably accommodate her family.
“When my family used to come here, I never used to have space for them. I always wanted a big house. My grandchildren can now spend the night with me,” Fredericks said.
She said there are plans to convert her old house into a kitchen, DPI reported.
Fifty-five-year-old, Sheila Augustus is extremely happy for the new house since she has been waiting a while for it.
Augustus said that it was hard on her family financially after a snake bit her husband.
“This is what I have been praying for. I am at peace now. When I hear the rain, I do not have to get up and say ‘Oh, we will get wet’,” she said.
Another beneficiary, 43 year old, Gloria Augustus is appreciative that she now has a new home for her two children.
She added that her previous living condition was terrible and noted how difficult it was for her family following the death of her husband.
Meanwhile, Croal underlined this initiative alone has injected $39 million into the village economy.
So far, 40 houses have been handed over to the beneficiaries under this programme.
Some 125 out of 400 of these houses have been completed in Kokerite, Warapoka, Haimaruni, Tiger Pond, Lethem, Yakarinta, Nappi, Crashwater and Rupunau.
With the aim to boost agriculture production in Warapoka, cash crop seeds were distributed to the villagers.
A total of 20,000 pounds of cassava sticks will be distributed next week in the region to farmers whose crops were destroyed by fire caused by El Niño, DPI said.
Croal announced that a Presidential outreach will be hosted in Region One next weekend, where various issues will be addressed to provide the necessary interventions.
