From the beginning of May 2010, Rev Kevin Johnson will be on a three month Sabbatical. This is a gift of time given by the Methodist Church to take a break from the regular activity and experience something different, relax etc. As part of his Sabbatical Kevin is planning a two week trip to Romania at the beginning of May to work as a Volunteer with a local Charity called FAST. This is a Romanian charity which Kevin (and STEPS Romania) have
been supporting for the last three years. In particular Kevin hopes to work with FAST on the Better Homes Project. The mission of the Better Homes Project is to improve the lives of the poorest members of local Roma communities by providing them with safe and reliable shelter in which their families can live in dignity and their children can grow in good health.
Together with the local authorities and members of the Roma community, FAST aims to provide new homes for families living in critical poverty in deprived rural areas in the local villages.
Many Roma in Romania live in functionally segregated settlements, on the outskirts of ethnically Romanian areas, in rundown or ramshackle homes that lack basic amenities such as plumbing or electricity, as well as insulation
to keep them warm in the winter. The Better Homes Project addresses the need for safe housing in local communities, while employing members of the local Roma community to build this housing.
How the Project Works
Utilizing a team of local Roma construction workers, as well as FAST staff and visiting volunteers (like Kevin) Better Homes build simple, prefabricated homes in the community with pieces constructed in our local workshop. Better Homes use their knowledge of the local community, as well as input from local leaders, to select the families in greatest need. Families with many children in extreme poverty are at the top of the list. Construction of each home takes approximately two months. In the first two years since the project's inception in 2007, Better Homes have built nine new homes, and have helped several other families obtain either the materials, labour,
or financial support needed to build or add necessary improvements to their own homes. In 2008, 36 family members benefited from the Better Homes Project, including 26 children.
