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Habitat for Humanity-North Central Georgia holding all-women building event
Habitat 1

FORSYTH COUNTY — I am woman. Watch me build a house.

Habitat for Humanity-North Central Georgia has launched registration for its 2016 Women Build Blitz program, where individuals and teams of women will partner together to build houses for two families in the north metro area.

The event set for March 5-12 is in honor of International Women’s Day, which falls on March 8.

More than 100 women will work on tasks like siding and drywall during the program, according to Kristyn Johnson, of Habitat-NCG.

“Women Build is a nationwide Habitat for Humanity initiative to empower women to build Habitat for Humanity homes and change the lives of families within their community,” Johnson said.

House construction is seen as a traditionally male activity, she said, so this program seeks to remove the “intimidation factor of the construction site and make women feel comfortable so they realize that they, too, can ‘help build it.’”

The nonprofit is a Christian housing ministry that builds affordable homes for purchase by low-income families who show the capacity for responsible homeownership.

Since its inception in 1995, the local branch has completed 277 homes serving about 1,000 family members in the north Fulton area and Forsyth, Dawson and Cherokee counties.

However, Habitat does not simply give away homes. Partner families, who earn 30-60 percent of the Atlanta area income, buy the homes at or near appraised value using 30-year no-interest financing provided by Habitat.

Each partner family is also required to attend educational classes and perform 200-300 hours of construction “sweat equity.”

Women Build Blitz will be held in the Villages at Park Creek neighborhood in the Hickory Flat area of Woodstock, near the border of Cherokee and Fulton counties.

For more information or to register, visit habitat-ncg.org.