Habitat for Humanity of Wood County Ohio and Lowe’s partnered to raise awareness of the global need for safe and affordable housing for women during International Women Build Week March 8 to 15.

On International Women’s Day, Habitat and Lowe’s kicked off more than 300 projects supporting women-led households across the United States, Canada and India to drive awareness and address the need.

According to the National Women’s Law Center, 80 percent of U.S. jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic were held by women. The United Nations has reported that 40 percent of all employed women globally work in the industries hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We want to be part of the solution of creating an equitable society,” said Mark Ohashi, executive director of Wood County Habitat for Humanity. “With Lowe’s support, we can foster equity in homeownership opportunities for women here in Wood County.”

The organization’s 2021 Women Build homeowner, Anastasia, is a single mother of four and lives in a two-bedroom trailer that is rotting, Mr. Ohashi said. She has experienced the impacts of the pandemic, having her new home build rescheduled and most recently, having her workplace shut down permanently.

Lowe’s and Habitat’s partnership began in 2003 and the Women Build program was developed in 2005. To date, the program has brought together more than 143,000 women volunteers who have built or repaired nearly 6,000 houses.