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Couple hopes to build new homes in Africa
By BOB McCLURE
| Article published on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008 |
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![[Image]](/content_images/111808_smb-01.jpg) |
| Photo by BOB McCLURE |
| Chuck and Betty Oldanie of Seminole point to the location of Malawi on a map of Africa. |
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SEMINOLE – Chuck Oldanie of Seminole has been actively involved with Habitat for Humanity for about 15 years through his membership in the Seminole Lake Rotary Club.
His efforts have taken the 67-year-old Realtor to Bay St. Louis, Miss., Mexico and Belize to build homes.
But now Oldanie and his wife Betty are embarking on something much bigger. This week they will leave for the African republic of Malawi on a 10-day trip to establish the roots for a similar home construction program there.
Joining them will be their daughter Laura, a former Peace Corps volunteer and an early childhood development specialist in Washington with the Committee on Economic Development.
They will team with Steve and Liz Heinsol-Nelson of Christ Presbyterian Church in Largo, who are already in Malawi on a church mission.
“Our goal is to explore Rotary and Habitat partnerships for future builds and assess Hospice needs in the region,” said Oldanie, who is a member at Christ Presbyterian. “I’ve had an interest in Africa from early on and for a number of years have had an interest in Habitat. Then I went on their Web site and I found Habitat’s most successful (international) operation was in Malawi.”
He said the country has more than 1,100 Rotarians.
“With all that happening, I got Steve and Liz’s phone number and asked them if there was a need (for more housing) there,” said Oldanie. “They said yes. So next I talked to Rotarians and they said there was a need. So we decided to do it.”
“Each of these leaders we’ve been talking to are looking for a long-term commitment to build homes,” said Betty Oldanie. “It won’t be a one-year thing.”
Chuck said the effort could involve construction of multi-use buildings, small homes or both, using Muslims, Hindus and Christians together at the same time on a joint construction effort.
“What we’re about to do has never been done before in Malawi,” he said. “Habitat and Rotary has never used all of these religions to go ahead and build a house.”
Oldanie said construction of a typical one-bedroom house in Malawi is about $10,000. The construction is baked mud bricks.
Malawi, a country about the size of Pennsylvania, is located northeast of South Africa next to Mozambique.
According to the United Nations, it is the fourth poorest nation on Earth with a population of about 13 million.
Life expectancy is 40 years and the literacy rate is about 64 percent.
Habitat For Humanity is a nonprofit, Christian housing organization that builds affordable housing for people in need.
Persons interested in becoming involved in Oldanie’s quest or would like to contribute to the cause should call 580-2962.
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Article published on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008
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