EQUIP FOUNDATION

Community Enterprise

Overview
The rép Community Enterprise's purpose is to help the poor by providing housing and employment. The enterprise is the business vehicle through which rép can benefit people by imparting practical and entrepreneurial skills and teaching them values-based principles.

The aim of the enterprise is to create a series of self-supporting communities that will provide on-going employment for needy people. The community industries will generate income from manufacturing precast items (fencing posts, tanks), housing components (pillars, panels) and from other construction-related activities. Part of the income from each community will be used for funding new communities.

Our first objective is to establish a model community near Pudupatinam, 70 kilometers south of Chennai. The project will be completed by December 2008 and will be carried out in 2 phases:

Phase 1: Build 10 houses for widows and needy people in villages near Pudupattinam. The purpose of this phase is to identify potential community members, train workers, and develop an initial range of products. This phase of the project was started in July 2007 and will run through February 2008.

Phase 2: Establish the first rép economic community in a village near Pudupattinam. This will serve as a model for subsequent rép communities elsewhere in India. The community facility will contain a manufacturing plant, a community center, and 10 houses. The buildings in the facility will be used to demonstrate our methods of construction and illustrate the use of our products.

Progress

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. . . . . .Babu and Subramani making wall panels . . . . . . . . . . . . Jayaseelan and the first house at Vayalur

Work on the project began mid-July 2007. This involved setting up a base in Mahabalipuram (roughly 50 km south of Chennai), identifying local suppliers of materials and tools and setting up a panel manufacturing facility at Vayalur (near Pudupattinam, roughly 70 km south of Chennai). During this startup period, we were greatly encouraged and helped by a team of students from Trinity Western University.

New Molds and Panels
We designed, built and tested a set of 10 molds for wall panels using local materials and then manufactured 400 wall panels for the first 10 houses.

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Local Team Trinity Western Team

Team Members and Houses
We identified recipients for the first 8 houses, recruited workers and completed the first prototype cottage at Vayalur in September. We are currently completing five additional houses (three at Kadalur, one at Mugayur and one at Anicutt).
Pastor E. Jayaseelan, who leads four congregations in Pudupattinam and nearby village has provided invaluable help and support in many and various aspects of the project.

Roofing
The roofing systems for the houses needed development and refining. We designed a new type of roof based on light-weight precast cement panels and tested three different types of roofing panels on the three houses in Kadalur. We expect to complete the five houses in Kadalur, Mugayur and Anicutt and to have the foundations in place for two additional houses during February 2008.

Acts of Mercy
We have also received substantial encouragement and support from Acts of Mercy leaders John Christian and Naresh Asher. Acts of Mercy is a local charitable non-government organization (NGO) with a school and training facilities in Mahabalipuram and a base in Vayalur where our panel manufacturing facility is temporarily located.

New House Owners
The first house at Vayalur will be occupied by Thennase and his wife, Pancha Varanam.
The second house is in Anicutt and will be occupied by Babu and his wife, Yasotha.
The third house is in Mugayur and will be occupied by Subramane and his wife Jaya.
The fourth, fifth and sixth houses are in Kadalur and will be occupied by Algesan, Jayamala and Ellammal Nogome respectively.
Thennase, Babu and Subramane are members of the Construction Team.

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Pancha Varanam and Margie at Vayalur . . . . Babu's wife, Yasotha at Anicutt

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Jayamala's house at Kadalur . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alagesan's daughter, Sumathi at Kadalur

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Ellammal Nagome with Jayaseelan at Kadalur. . . . . . . Jayamala at Kadalur

You can help

If you have skills or interest in construction, business, marketing, manufacturing, appropriate technologies, community development, communication and teaching, consider joining us for a 2-week or a 4-week venture in Southern India.

Email margie(at)cookbrothers.net- or call Rebecca or Karen at (650) 306 4100 for more information on opportunities for involvement in our projects.

Donations

Preparation for Phase 2 during January and February 2008 will cost $14,500. This includes new molds, tools, product development and engineering.

Phase 2 will cost $97,000. This will involve purchasing a 1-acre site ($40,000), developing the site ($8,000), building a manufacturing facility ($9,000), a community center ($7,000), 10 houses ($25,000) and establishing business units ($8,000).

Consider donating funds for any of the items listed above. $2,500 will cover the cost of one house. $40,000 will cover the cost of land for the new community and $97,000 will cover the total cost of Phase 2.

To donate:
Please mail your check made payable to:
The Equip Foundation
572 Mountain View Way, Emerald Hills, CA 94062.

Online: Visit the rep website www.repurposing.biz and click Contribute on the lower left. The site outlines several options.

PayPal: If using PayPal, select "Specific equip venture" from the drop down and type &ldquoIndia Housing" in the "For" box.

Stock: To donate stock:
Morgan Stanley - Acc#: 118-053349-040 DTC#: 015

Plan & Budget

rép will establish the first community near Pudupatinam, 70 kilometers south of Chennai. The project will be completed by December 2008 and will be carried out in 2 phases:

Phase 1: Build 10 houses for widows and needy people in villages near Pudupattinam. This phase of the project was started in July 2007 and will run through February 2008.

Phase 2: Establish the first rép community facility. Phase 2 of the project will run from February to November 2008. The rép community facility will contain a manufacturing plant, a community center, and 10 houses.

The buildings on the community property will serve as models for marketing our products. We expect to start selling houses, panels and pillars to individuals and organizations in July 2008.

The community property will be owned by rép India. Houses on the property will be rented to members of the community for up to 5 years. Rental income will be used to help community members purchase their own properties.

Trained workers from established communities will help to start new communities. Income from manufacturing and construction activities will be used to fund new communities.

Preparation for Phase 2 during January and February 2008 will cost $14,500. This includes new molds, tools, product development and engineering.

See Exhibit 1 for further details

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