Wahine Build 2023: Built by women, for women.
Honolulu Habitat is kicking off its annual Wahine Build program to mobilize, educate and empower women to help build affordable homes on Oahu. In 2022, Wahine Build was expanded from a single day event to a 5-week program, uniting over 150 women for the cause of affordable housing in Hawaii and raising over $80,000 for Honolulu Habitat.
Now, we are growing again.
This year, Wahine Build will span three months (April – July), more than doubling the program’s size from last year. The 12-week program will include 26 build days for women to participate in constructing a Habitat home in Waimanalo. Under the direction of Habitat’s construction professionals, female volunteers will help build the home from foundation to finish while raising critical funds for Habitat’s future projects.
“This will be the first home in Honolulu Habitat’s 35-year history built entirely by female volunteers, for a female homeowner nonetheless” said TJ Joseph, CEO. “How beautiful it is that wahine, both born and raised here on this island and those who have come from far away, have the opportunity to lean into what’s most uniquely beautiful about women – compassion, empathy, and love – by joining together to help build a home from the ground up.”
Women are disproportionately underrepresented on Habitat’s build sites. Whether for lack of training or gender bias, they accounted for only 30% of construction volunteers in 2021.
“Over the next five years, Wahine Build seeks to increase the representation of women construction volunteers to 50%,” said Bri Littlefield, director of philanthropy. “And that means breaking down barriers, lifting women up, and giving them the tools, training, and support they need to be part of our work.”
Wahine Build Launch Party
Wahine Build kicked off on Friday, February 17 at Café Julia with a cocktail-style soiree that united event partners, volunteers and women leaders in support of Honolulu Habitat.
This year’s celebration sponsors included Island Pacific Distributors, Nordic PCL Construction, The Zelinsky Company, Unlimited Construction, and, Maryl Group Construction, Otis Elevator Company, Pace Supply, The Jones Family Foundation, Wasa Electrical Services Inc, WE Painting.
Hosted by Lauren Teruya, Miss Hawaii 2022, the Wahine Build launch party drew more than 200 guests to celebrate the vital role women play in building strong, diverse communities.
“When you think about the construction industry and how male-dominated it is, and then you see women coming forward as the engineers, as the builders, as the designers, as the architects, as the women hands-on building homes… how can you not be so excited to be a part of that?” said Lauren, who will join 200 local women in building a Habitat home this spring.
The evening’s guest of honor was Pua Akiyoshi, Habitat’s 2023 Wahine Build homeowner.
“Your generous contributions of time, energy and financial support are making my dream of homeownership a reality,” she said, “I can’t tell you how long I’ve waited for this and how grateful I am to be here with you tonight. From this moment, you are a permanent part of my Habitat story. I look forward to building with many of you this spring to raise the walls of my future Habitat home.”
From this moment, you are a permanent part of my Habitat Story.
Pua’s single-family home will be constructed on Hawaiian homestead in Waimanalo during Wahine Build this spring.
Throughout the evening, guests delighted in signature cocktails, hosted by Republic National Distributing Company and live entertainment by local artists Tiara Gomes and Kaleikaumaka.
The opportunity to celebrate the launch of this initiative is really powerful,” said Summer Vaimaona, chairwoman of the 2023 launch party, “To see the support of our community and all of these powerful women come together to help money and build homes for our people is amazing.”
Signature Sips
Hosted by Republic National Distributing Company, the highly-anticipated Wahine Build signature cocktails were a crowd-favorite! Missed the Launch Party? Build your own signature cocktail at home!
About Honolulu Habitat
Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Honolulu Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1988 as an independent affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International. Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves.
Through shelter, we empower.
To learn more, visit honoluluhabitat.org.
