Biggest ever charity mission
 IRISH philanthropist
Niall Mellon is calling for 1,000 volunteers to join him next year on
what is said to be the biggest ever charity mission overseas.
The founder of the largest house-building charity operating in South Africa
launched his appeal at the Digiweb Ideal Homes exhibition in Dublin.
The project, known as Building Blitz 2007 will take place over one week
in November next year at a township in Cape Town. This will be the fifth
Building Blitz organised by the Niall Mellon Township Trust and organisers
said it would be by far the biggest to date.
The aim is to build at least 150 high-quality houses and take 1,000 South
African men, women and children out of shacks and into a proper home for
the first time in their lives.
Each volunteer has to raise ¤4,000 (£2,684) and about half
of this goes towards flights and accommodation with the rest going directly
to the charity. Mr Mellon personally pays for all the administration costs.
The trust is seeking skilled and unskilled volunteers for the project.
About 80 per cent need to come from the construction industry but people
from other walks of life are also welcome.
The RDS launch was also attended by Minister of State for Overseas Development
and Human Rights Conor Lenihan and the South African ambassador Priscilla
Jana.
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