5th Edition of the “Women Build” Event
Saturday, 25th May 2013, many women participated in building homes for families in need on Habitat’s worksite in Beius
Beiuş, 25th May 20113. “Women Build” is an event which is organised periodically by Habitat Beius, to show how simple, how friendly and how easy it is to work at the construction of a Habitat house, that anyone can do it, including women. During the event, participants changed roles typically done by men, with the ladies putting their hand to the worksite tools and men putting their hand to cooking utensils and preparing a meal for the ladies at the end of the work day.
“It’s the first time that I’ve been on a Habitat worksite and I confess that it was a very interesting experience. I was nervous as I thought that work on the worksite isn’t simple. The idea to participate in building a house seemed…. beyond me. I asked myself what could I do along with the other participants. I was amazed how the Habitat team was organised perfectly, such that all of the ladies quickly learned how to use the work tools. To be a Habitat volunteer can mean a lot if you love people and teamwork. It’s amazing to know that you contributed as well to the building of a home in which will live people who have been waiting years to have a home. In the group of women who have participated today, was also the lady whose house will be raised in this exact place. She was saying how happy she was that at last they will have their home. For me, being on the Habitat worksite meant an interior thankfulness and joy that I can do something for others” said Camelia Florea, one of the participants.
The first “Women Build” event was launched in Romania with the receiving of a prize of which only a few can be proud that they have, the “Prize for creativity of women in rural live” awarded to Geta Heredea, a simple lady from the countryside. She was one of 20 women from around the whole world who received the prize in 2005 from the prestigious international foundation Women’s World Summit Foundation (WWSF). Geta was awarded the prize because she acted to not only improve her life and that of her husband two sons, who then lived in desperate living conditions, but she also acted to improve the lives of other people who live in her village, Mizies. And she succeeded!
“Today I learnt that the smile ennobles the face of everyone. The smile and pleasant sensation that you can do something good for others and alongside people that you haven’t known until now. I always felt that volunteers are fortunate because they forget about their daily worries and give their time and their experience. After a few hours, you have learnt many things which you didn’t know and maybe you thought you weren’t able to do and you have an overwhelming good feeling of pride and wish to participate again in similar projects. Well done to those who initiate them! Congratulations to those who participate at them!” said Anca Banda, director of the Beius House of Culture, one of the event participants.
During their time spent on the worksite, the volunteers put together all the elements necessary for building the roof trusses for one the houses that will be home to a large family. They transported materials, hit thousands of nails and succeeded in achieving everything in the time proposed. The men who participated, prepared coffee and served the ladies with water, juice and sweets and prepared a cooked meal for them. The atmosphere on the worksite was warm even though there were a few drops of rain which didn’t intimidate the ladies who continued their activities.
