Property24.com and Habitat for Humanity building a home one click at a time

To make a contribution towards housing in South Africa and raise awareness around the country's housing shortage, Property24.com has teamed up with Habitat for Humanity South Africa to launch the Property24 Clicks for Bricks Challenge.

For every "like" that Property24.com receives on its Facebook page, facebook.com/property24, they have pledged to donate R5 towards the R91,000 cost of building a home. The goal is to achieve 18,200 likes, donate the R91,000 to Habitat for Humanity South Africa, and then invite members of the page to be part of the building team that constructs the actual home.

Property24.com will share the challenge's progress with its Facebook community via a fun and interactive application that portrays the construction stages of the home being built as the target draws nearer.

"Every day we see thousands of people searching for their dream homes on Property24.com," said JP Farinha, Property24.com General Manager. "But the stark reality is that for so many South Africans formal, sustainable housing seems like a pipe dream. The Property24 Clicks for Bricks Challenge is our way to give something back and support social change in the country.

"We're looking forward to sharing our progress with our community so that they know their "like" wasn't an empty gesture but actually contributed to changing the life of a family."

Since 1996, Habitat for Humanity South Africa has built homes for 3,045 families comprising 15,225 individuals across 34 communities in the Western Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. Its model is based on community participation as well as 60 hours of "sweat equity" from the beneficiary, meaning physical work on other people's houses, before qualifying for their own house.

"We don't just build houses and walk away - we believe in providing a holistic process in vital skills and social development," said Adrienne Burke, National Marketing and Communications Officer.

Once a beneficiary qualifies for a house, they are taken through a series of workshops covering essential topics such as budgeting, how to pay your rates and taxes, home maintenance and financial planning for the future.

In addition, Habitat for Humanity employs and uses artisans from the community or provides on-site skills training for those wishing to find employment or start their own business.

"We believe a decent home is not merely bricks and mortar," said Adrienne Burke. "A home is instrumental in breaking the cycle of poverty from one generation to the next by giving families a safe, healthy environment in which to live and study in, as well as provide a viable investment for the future.

"We applaud the Property24 Clicks for Bricks Challenge and look forward to them reaching their goal."

Property24.com's Facebook page shares useful property-related information with house-hunters, homeowners and estate agents. To contribute towards building the house, visit facebook.com/property24 and simply click on the "like" button.

About Property24.com
Property24.com is a real estate search engine with one of the largest online databases of South African property. With over 12 000 active estate agents adding their properties to the portal, we are able to provide a neutral and comprehensive view of the SA property market at any time, making it simple for property buyers to find their dream home or investment online. For the past nine years, Property24.com has also been a reliable source of up-to-date property market news, information and advice for home buyers, sellers and investors.

About Habitat for Humanity South Africa

Habitat for Humanity South Africa (HFHSA) has been actively building in South Africa since 1996, and since then, 3,045 families have been served across 34 communities. As a community development organisation, HFHSA currently engages with local communities in the greater Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg areas.

As a recognised Section 21 Non-Profit Organisation, HFHSA is situated to address the severe housing needs of the country. Each project is uniquely tailored to suit the needs of the homeowner group, the environmental and social conditions of the communities and the available funds.

A unique feature of HFHSA as an organisation is that it partners with community groups or other organisations to help address an identified housing need. Once this partnership has been formalised a lengthy process of education and training begins. This is crucial to the development of the homeowner group and is an important focus area of HFHSA's ministry.