Miller Homes teams clocks up Miles for Malawi to build homes

A TEAM of sales consultants from Scots' builders Miller Homes swapped their suits and boots for trainers as they embarked on a 30km walk around five Edinburgh developments to raise vital funds to build homes in Malawi.

Staff from house builder Miller Homes are raising money to help build new homes in Malawi, Africa. Picture: Contributed

Miller Homes has pledged to raise £100k for Habitat for Humanity’s Hope Builders campaign, enough to build over 30 homes in Malawi. The company hit this target in September and continues to fundraise for the cause.

The whole company is getting behind the fundraising campaign and in September a team of 16 Miller Homes staff travelled to Salima in eastern Malawi to help build homes for orphans and vulnerable children.

The trip was funded entirely by Miller Homes, however each of the volunteers raised a minimum of £1,000 as part of their contribution toward the £100K target.

Lynsey Brown, 39, of Tranent, Paul Doran, 30, from Rosewell, and Stephen Mack, 48, of Currie travelled to Salima. Along with the team they were due to build three homes but actually constructed four.

Lynsey, regional sales manager for Miller Homes who has been instrumental in both the Malawi trip and the walk, said: “I feel immensely proud of what we achieved during our trip.

“Not only did we become Habitat Malawi’s record building team completing four homes, but I was privileged to be accepted into the lives of many very special people. The Miller team and Malawi families became part of my heart, head and soul. I will never forget it.”

Paul, who raised money for the trip by running the Edinburgh Marathon, said: “The range of emotions you experience on a trip of this nature are so variable from real joy of finishing the houses and making a difference to the people you are helping to tears of sadness at some of the situations people are living in.”

Stephen said he also feels privileged to have been able to take part in the project, adding: “It was a very humbling experience to see people with so little so happy.

“To think that at least some of them will have a proper roof over their heads due to our efforts will stay with me forever.”

According to Habitat for Humanity, in Malawi four out of five families live in substandard homes with little hope of ever being able to afford a decent house.

A typical village hut is built of mud bricks with a dirty floor and grass thatched roof. The conditions put families at high risk of all kinds of diseases with leaky roofs making the house damp and mud floors attracting insects.

Habitat for Humanity helps build a safe environment where families and communities can thrive. Working across 70 countries, the charity has helped 6.8million people since 1976.

Recent projects have included housing Lesotho’s orphans and disabled, setting up refugee camps in Macedonia, building emergency housing in Haiti, funding clean water projects in Delhi and building affordable homes in the UK.

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