AFTER three years of waiting, members of Ketenamasi landowning unit of Yaro village, Malolo have received a $500,000 loan approval from the Housing Authority to renovate 28 homes in the village.
Ketenamasi Trust manager Manoa Sova said the approval had given a new lease of life to members with many looking forward to the renovation of their houses.
"Since 2009, we have been making applications to the Housing Authority for a village housing loan and this was granted towards the end of last year," he said.
"The eligibility is $2million and there will be progressive allocations of $500,000 per phase of development.
"The Housing Authority will officially issue the first lot of payments for hardware supplies to Bombay Trading and A.H Electricals to initiate the beginning of renovations to the existing 28 houses at Yaro Village, while the Trust awaits quotations for imported supplies including furnishing and interior facilities from a Chinese firm," he said.
HA chief executive officer Alipate Naiorosui said facilitating the loan would take half a year to complete.
"We are pleased to provide the mataqali (landownig unit) Ketenamasi with the loan facility to upgrade and repair 28 existing homes as well as the church building," he said.