Women Building Together

The Women’s Build program seeks to bring in new resources to further the home-building mission of Habitat for Humanity. The Women’s Build provides opportunities for women and girls to learn and grow on the job site. At Habitat for Humanity of the West Valley, the average age of the women on the Women’s Build team is 64 years old. This is a group of ladies who all have a big hearts and would “rather build it than clean it!”

 

Click here for 2007-2008 Build  Pictures

• Why have a Women Build?

  • Construction is still a male-dominated field. Because they are often more comfortable around tools and at job sites, men gravitate toward taking the lead in construction, and even smart, otherwise skilled women can end up with tasks such as painting, landscaping and cleaning up the site. These women rarely return for a second experience, but on a Women’s Build site, women are encouraged by other women to tackle all aspects of construction and quickly become skilled and engaged volunteers.

  • The HFHWV Women’s Build is exclusively for women. It’s not about excluding men; it’s about including women and opening new doors of opportunity. Men are often involved in our projects in supportive roles and as subcontractors when women from the necessary trades are not available. The Women’s Build site is a welcome, friendly place where no one need feel handicapped by gender or ability.

• Women Build Involvement:

  • Volunteers can become apart of the Women’s Build team after attending a volunteer orientation.

  • Besides building on site, the Women’s Build Team often holds get-to-togethers and potluck lunches.

• Women Build Families

  • The homeowners (regardless of gender) are thrilled to finally have a home. And when built by the Women’s Build crew, they know that they’re house was meticulously and almost perfectly built. The women take a little more time, but it’s to meet perfection!
    
    

Women building together offers tremendous empowerment.
Not only are women discovering that they can successfully do something they had previously thought was not possible, but they are applying the confidence gained through this experience to other aspects of their lives.