Beyond Bricks: Empowering Families to Rebuild

Donate Now

For those displaced by Cyclone Freddy, rebuilding wasn’t just about homes. The storm had taken everything, leaving them to start again from nothing.

Which is why at Habitat for Humanity, we don’t stop at building houses. Our work focuses on empowering communities, giving families the tools and skills to help their recovery because a home is more than just bricks and mortar. It’s a foundation for safety and opportunity.

Many of our programmes support families with training, mentorship, and practical tools so they can rebuild their lives fully. Every skill learned, every stove or tool provided, and every small business supported helps families regain independence.

At just 18, Imraan (pictured above) saw his world turned upside down when Cyclone Freddy destroyed his family home. With support from Habitat for Humanity, he trained in tailoring, received startup tools, and opened a small shop – earning enough each week to buy food and essentials for his parents and five siblings. Today, he isn’t just rebuilding his future, he’s helping to rebuild stability for his whole family.

With your support, a Habitat home becomes not just a shelter, but a lasting foundation for a better future.

Our skills training has also been a lifeline in Mary’s journey post-Cyclone Freddy, with members of her extended family receiving training in essential skills, from carpentry to motorbike mechanics, helping them earn a living and rebuild their lives. 

Some have even gone on to work as paid contractors constructing new Habitat homes, putting their training into action and creating safe homes for others in the process.  

Mary herself learned brick-making techniques, and her family received an energy-saving stove for cooking, protecting both their health and the environment. “I am grateful for Habitat for Humanity’s training, that they are thinking about all the different ways to support our recovery.” she states.

Every skill learned, every tool provided, and every small business supported helps communities become stronger, more resilient, and better prepared for the future.

This Christmas, you can play a vital role in helping families rebuild. Your gift could help build the strong walls of a safe home, help pay for the training of an aspiring builder or mechanic, or help finish a Habitat for Humanity home with decent doors, windows and fixtures to protect families for years to come. Together, we can help families rebuild homes and restore livelihoods this Christmas.

With special thanks to Fidelis Insurance and Europa for their generous support of our work.