Filipino couples help build homes for poor back home

A group of Filipino couples in the UAE is taking part in a seven-year project to help build 700,000 houses for poor families back home, especially in depressed provinces in Mindanao.

The project, called "Gawad Kalinga" (Care Giving), or GK 777, aims to start a "revolution of love" in depressed areas following the Filipinos' "Bayanihan" (mutual help, literally, "heroes for others") tradition.

The project is being considered by the UN as a template for housing the poor in Third World countries.

Members of the UAE-GK777 specifically seek to help communities in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) provinces of Saranggani, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, North and South Cotabato.

"We aim to start the process of restoring hope and dignity to the poor," said Dante Fermazi, a member of the Filipino couples' group in the UAE.

Since the original GK movement was launched three years ago in the Philippines, the community-building programme has helped build 7,000 houses in various slum areas in the country, including the native Aetas near the former US military bases in Central Luzon.

The expanded GK777, with its new targets, was launched on October 4 during an expo in Manila, attended by 100,000 member families and their friends.

Volunteers said their group is sustained by supporters not only to build houses to replace shanties but also to set up scholarships, medical missions, learning centres and livelihood projects in the poor communities.

"We believe in the miracle of love. The project is done through the effort of uniting not dividing, cooperating not competing, transcending religious and racial biases with the haves sharing their resources with the poor, and the powerful helping the weak to become strong," said Fermazi.

According to Art Los Baños, information officer of UAE-GK777, the UN has considered adopting the project because it is not a simple dole-out system, but a way to sustain the communities with education and creation of small industries.

Each GK777 house costs about Dh2,400. They are made of indigenous materials and the recipients help build them.

"GK is not simply about raising funds for charity, but a partnership for sustainable human and community development. We're conducting an internal information drive among members to encourage them to give more generously," said Los Baños.

As a multi-sectoral undertaking, GK777 now includes local and national government units and foreign donor countries.

"Our strategy in the UAE is to raise money among members first, and the members will solicit contributions from their peers, friends, families and even companies with philanthropic work," Los Baños explained.

While GK777 is only in the Philippines, and is akin to Jimmy Carter's Habitat, similar groups in India, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and East Timor have adopted its programme.

Fermazi said: "Every member of the group is not just a volunteer but a strong advocate of GK. The members see GK work as a way of life, a lifetime commitment and a work of love."