Republic Bank partners with Habitat for Humanity to repair homes

REPUBLIC Bank, Habitat for Humanity and Proman TT, through the Participatory Approach for Safe Shelter Awareness (PASSA) programme, has assisted over 6,000 people living in communities throughout TT.

On Friday, the completion of the two-year partnership project was celebrated with a thanksgiving service at the Church of the Nazarene, Santa Cruz Old Road, a media release said.

The programme helped people repair homes that were damaged by natural disasters and provided homes to those whose houses were beyond repair.

The release said the aim of the programme was to raise awareness about the importance of decent homes through education.

After the Church of Nazarene service, a walk-through was done in nearby Ramkissoon Trace, where residents identified projects that would benefit the community. The projects included the completion of a retaining wall, rainwater harvesting systems, a community drain, a meeting platform, and a garbage collection site.

Republic Bank’s General Manager, Group Marketing and Communications, Karen Tom Yew Jardine said, “Habitat for Humanity’s 'teach a man to fish' philosophy is something that has resonated strongly with the bank.

“We believe that the organisation’s emphasis on training with the purpose of equipping our citizens with the skills and knowledge in home building, sustainable shelter and settlements bodes well for not only the overall development of the country, but also by extension can help aid in the mitigation of disaster risk and also fosters resiliency among our citizens.”

Since 2013, Republic Bank has partnered with Habitat for Humanity through its Power to Make A Difference programme with bank executives and staff volunteering on a number of builds.

The bank encouraged other key stakeholders to join Habitat for Humanity’s efforts to provide safe and affordable housing for TT citizens.