In Nsanganiza, most houses are made of sun-dried mud bricks and mud mortar, with grass and plastic for roofing. Rats live in the thatched roofs and ants and snakes traverse across the dirt floors. Insect bites lead to malaria and other diseases. Without lockable doors, strangers enter with ease. But the most common hardship is that those living in these homes battle seasonal downpours each year. When it rains, many must sleep standing up to avoid laying on muddy floors. Leaks ruin their belongings. When the rains are heavy, it is not uncommon for the walls to wash away and the entire house to collapses in a heap.

Soon after Cyclone Idai hit the southeastern coast of Africa in early 2019, a CRI staff team visited Nsanganiza. The cyclone caused monsoon-level rains in Malawi and surrounding countries, and the devastation was inescapable in Nsanganiza. We witnessed home after home reduced to a pile of mud or a single standing wall. We heard stories of children dead from a sudden roof collapse in the middle of the night. The need for sturdy homes is great.

However, when you speak to the men in the village, the vast majority will tell you that their vocation is construction. But there are only a few jobs ever available. The need for employment in the village, for men to have dignity in their work and provision for their families, is great.

It was clear in March of 2019 that we would one day be building Green Door Homes in Nsanganiza.