A new scheme which helps home owners upgrade their slum housing will celebrate its first success this weekend.

On Saturday a roof-wetting ceremony will debut a transformed Somerset home which last October had a tree growing through its roof.

Habitat for Humanity Bermuda (HHB) which helped rebuild the house believes there is a substantial substrata of the island's population who are property-rich but cash-poor.

HHB's president Charles Hollis said: "There's more poverty out there and more cases like this than a lot of people are aware of.

"You find three generations living under one roof. People such as this family inherit the house after living with the parents and they haven't had any way of paying for renovation.

"Labour costs and materials in Bermuda are very expensive.

"This family didn't have the cash, they were a family of five living in two bedrooms but they hadn't had a kitchen sink for eight years, the cesspit was overflowing. They were conditions you would not think people would allow.

"There were ficus trees growing through the roof and getting into everywhere.

"The wife was working three jobs and the husband was working but they were only scraping by.

"They want to send their daughter to private school and maybe one day to go abroad.

"There are houses with three generations living in them but there's not enough income for them to think about approaching the bank to get a mortgage.

"They can't get a down payment or pay the monthly payments.'' But this is no hand-out -- the family must chip in their own cash and up to 300-hours of their labour known as "sweat equity''.

A detailed financial plan is worked out to make sure the family can afford to pay back the loan for the work.

Habitat for Humanity, launched here last summer by former US President Jimmy Carter, has been substantially adapted from the American model which builds new homes on open land with interest-free mortgages.

Mr. Hollis said this was clearly not suitable for Bermuda which had such a shortage of land.

"We decided the way forward for Bermuda was focusing on home owners living in sub-standard housing.

"With the idea of sweat equity they can turn over a leaf, get an idea of self worth, and take more pride and care in it.'' Families must pay a deposit and keep up with the monthly payments over 20 years.

If the family decides to cash-in by selling up shortly after the work is done they must pay off the owed money at the market rate rather than the discounted deal which they were given.

"We get estimates for the work which are often discounted because firms donate materials but only charge labour.'' Mr. Hollis explained why his organisation decided to help home owners rather than help build for those without a home.

He said: "We felt providing low rental housing was for the Government.

"And we are not building for home owners. We are not into selling. We didn't think our organisation could fulfil something as large and expensive as that.

"To make it affordable we feel better amongst low income home owners to help them renovate and improve their quality of life.

"I have been shocked by the incomes I have seen, mothers working three jobs and living in conditions that are sub-standard.'' The group is actively looking for new projects after getting around 50 applications recently.

"We are looking at starting another project by March or early April. How many we can do after that depends on how successful our volunteer group is.'' Churches and community groups are being enlisted to find out new worthy cases to help and to chip in with the volunteer work.

"Anybody who can paint or hit a nail -- you are welcome but we also need some skilled labour.'' Mr. Hollis says the community effort to renovate a house is a return to the old concept of people helping each other build homes.

Also see picture special on Page 4 Success for homes plan "There is a need for people who own their own homes to be able to improve their standard of living. There many completely run-down houses out there.

"We are trying to build that neighbourly spirit of helping each other out.'' And the scheme could help get derelict properties back onto the market which have lain empty for years.

"Those homes can be looked up in trusts. The family may not have had any money so they couldn't do anything with the property.

"But this isn't for people who want a new veranda or a new apartment to rent out.

"This is for home owners in sub-standard conditions who are on low income.'' However, Sheelagh Cooper who heads the committee which allocates the projects said new apartments would be added when there was a proven need.

She said: "You have family homesteads where generations are doubling and tripling up.

"It's within our mandate to increase the size of them to accommodate large families in dwellings not adequate for their needs.'' See Page 4 for a picture story on the scheme Page 4 From hovel to home A scheme that started in the US to help less well off families build their own homes is about to herald its first success in Bermuda. Habitat for Humanity has just finished renovating a family home in Somerset under a scheme that brought a whole community together. Here we tell the story in pictures taken by team members, from beginning to finished home.

Ready to renovate: The house pictured before its transformation. It has no kitchen sink, the cesspit was overflowing and had tress growing through the roof.

Lending a hand: Russell Smith one of the many volunteers that pitched into making the house a home again works on one of the windows. Hew works for Renaissance Reinsurance.

Many hands: Two helpers fit a new window -- the sheer number or people helping out meant the project proceeded faster than the family were trying to do the work alone.

A team effort: Volunteers pose for a picture on the site -- the old saying `many hands make light work' proved especially true for this project. Although the family owning the house must chip in 300 hours of their own labour.

A community effort: Habitat for Humanity members and local resident pose as the fruits of their labour stands proudly behind them.

Doing his bit: Jim Stanard, CEO of Renaissance Reinsurance helps to plaster the walls.