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Teah Laurine is a single mother with two jobs and three children. She is spending her few spare hours building a house for herself and her family in Medford.

However, she is receiving a lot of help 鈥� from a group of about 10 women volunteering through . The program has two missions. The first is to help build houses for people who might not otherwise have a chance at homeownership. The second is to teach women construction skills.

The program started in 1991 when a group of women in Charlotte, N.C., completed the first women-built Habitat for Humanity house. Now, Habitat for Humanity International affiliates across the country have their own Women Build programs. They produce houses built almost entirely by women.

鈥淲omen can come to this great community of sharing,鈥� said Tor Ostrom, the director of volunteer programs and corporate engagement for the Habitat affiliate in Portland. 鈥淲hen I first started, the thing I heard over and over again from women is that the program is both supporting and empowering at the same time.鈥�

Laurine, 34, said building her own house with help from other women has been an amazing experience. She didn’t know the first thing about construction when she started, she said. Now she knows about almost every aspect of homebuilding.

鈥淚’ve learned a lot,鈥� she said. 鈥淧robably the biggest challenge has been finding time to work on the house. I’ve only been able to do construction on the weekends because I work and have three children. My youngest doesn’t really know what’s going on. He’s only 2. But the others are really excited.鈥�

The Women Build program in Medford has operated for several years, springing out of an event that local volunteers used to gear around Mother’s Day.

“Several days prior to Mother’s Day, we bring in women to teach them the trades and have them help build a house,鈥� said Denise James, the executive director of . 鈥淲e had such a great response, we thought we could have a project completed entirely by women.鈥�

Construction on Laurine’s house started in March, and she should be ready to move in by the end of the month.

鈥淲e tried to get this house 100 percent built by women. We have had women plumbers and women electricians,鈥� James said.

There were times when men had to be brought in on the project, she added.

鈥淏ecause we also wanted this to be a learning process, when there were certain trades where we couldn’t find men (consultants), we made sure it was a learning process for women.鈥�

The process has been more than a bonding experience for the volunteers, James said.

鈥淭hrough the process, we have women’s groups that have come and helped,鈥� she said.

Laurine said the experience has changed her life.

鈥淚t’s been an amazing experience. Half the time, I am just overwhelmed by everyone and their generosity,鈥� she said.

Ostrom said Portland volunteers are working on half of a duplex on the corner of 171st Avenue and Division Street. Volunteers so far have raised $68,000 for the $75,000 project.

The house should be finished by March 2013, Ostrom said. The project has drawn a wide variety of volunteers, he added.

鈥淥ne of the great things about Women Build is that it engages people at every age, background and skill level,鈥� he said.

Vickie Augustine is one of the volunteers in Medford. The 52-year-old Cave Junction resident comes to Medford to work on the house Wednesdays and Fridays.

鈥淚t’s been fantastic,鈥� she said. 鈥淚’ve worked around tools, so I am not totally green, but I am still learning as I go along.鈥�

A lot of the women who started as volunteers have gone on to construction careers, Augustine said.

Laurine isn’t looking for a construction career; she has enough jobs already. She is just looking for a home, she said.

Like all Habitat home recipients, she is required to do a lot of the construction herself. Laurine said she is fine with that. James added that Laurine, like the overwhelming majority of home recipients, is highly energetic and emotionally invested.

鈥淪he has to commit to 500 hours of sweat equity,鈥� James said. 鈥淪he’s way beyond that.鈥�

More information about Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build program is available at 503-287-9529 or online at .