The Desmond Tutu Community Build 2007

Desmond Tutu's visit to Mfuleni

Archbishop Desmond Tutu has been a source of inspiration for many of us since he rose to worldwide fame as an opponent of apartheid in the 1980's.

He kept hope alive in the hearts and minds of millions of South Africans with his powerful vision that justice would come and that one day all South Africans would be free of repression and prejudice.

Archbishop Tutu's relentless pursuit of a fairer world has resulted in worldwide respect and acknowledgement of his efforts with the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.

Archbishop Tutu still has a passion for a fairer world and this is evident in his work for Habitat for Humanity in South Africa.

Having become a patron of Habitat for Humanity South Africa in 2002 after attending the Jimmy Carter Work Project in Durban, the Archbishop has done much to inspire our homepartners and volunteer builders all over the country.

This inspiration has never been more evident than earlier this year when the Archbishop called for volunteer builders to join him at the Mfuleni community build site near Cape Town.

Volunteers from all over the world answered Archbishop Tutu's call. On 30 May, after a week of intensive building alongside homepartner families, twelve more South African families were handed the keys to safe, decent homes and the Archbishop thanked everyone that had helped to make the Desmond Tutu Community Build such a success.

"Sometimes God looks down on the world. at Sudan, or Zimbabwe or Burma. and he says 'why do my children treat each other like this? Tutu told the crowd. "God looks down on the world today and sees you. And a little angel goes up and wipes a tear from God's eye. God smiles because he sees you doing this fantastic work".

Since 1996, Habitat for Humanity South Africa has built over 1,800 homes in the country, providing safe, decent shelter in partnership with 8,000 people and bringing together people across racial, economic, cultural and social boundaries.

The site of the Desmond Tutu Community Build, Mfuleni (meaning 'a river stream' in English) is a relatively new township about 25 miles from Cape Town. It has become known as a community of shack dwellers because the majority of its residents live in overcrowded structures made of tin with no water supply, electricity or sanitation.

Thanks to Archbishop Tutu, the hard work of our homepartners and the dedication of our volunteer builder teams, we plan to build 250 new homes in the community over the next two years.

"We are honoured that Archbishop Tutu was able to join us today," said Matthew Maury of Habitat for Humanity International "We hope this event will raise awareness of poverty housing issues in South Africa throughout Africa and show that when we all work together each and every one of us can make a contribution to solving the housing problem facing millions of people across Africa."

Despite many social advances, South Africa's housing problem remains at critical levels. Many people, isolated in rural areas, are moving to townships like Mfuleni to be closer to cities and better job prospects. They find themselves swapping one miserable existence for another - squalor, no clean water or sanitation and high levels of crime.

With the country in the grip of the AIDS pandemic, a third of the population living on less than $2 a day and ten million people living in poverty housing, South Africa is still facing huge problems.

But thanks to the support of Archbishop Tutu, our dedicated volunteer builders and you, our supporters, Habitat for Humanity is making a lasting, positive impact on communities all over the country. Our heartfelt thanks go out to you all.

More pictures of the Desmond Tutu Community Build 2007