Global Village

Samoa. Big Build

Begins : 01/07/2013

Team Leader

Lou Maea (Overall Leader of the build): Email LMaea@habitat.org.nz | Telephone: 09 579 4111

Cyclone Evan – Overview

Cyclone Evan was the worst cyclone to hit the Pacific in 20 years.

The damage to housing caused by cyclone Evan especially to fales destroyed or requiring repair is far in excess of the damage caused in the 2009 tsunami. In particular the worst hit areas are several central and villages east of Apia, and South coast of Upolu.

Damage – Overview

• Up to 7,700 people have been displaced and lived in emergency centres which were closed, and over 300 houses need to be rebuilt and up to a 1,000 houses in need of repair

• Wide tree and crop damage, water supply disruption.

• Electricity has been restored to Apia and immediate surrounding town areas but there are still wide electricity outages around areas of Upolu. It will take some months to restore power to rural areas.

• Extensive roof damage.

New homes – Cyclone Evan

After consultation with the Government of Samoa (GoS), our Samoan based corporate partner has withdrawn from the project to rebuild new homes as a housing response to cyclone Evan. Originally the project was aiming to build 10 to 20 new homes initially and possibly up to 50 new homes in partnership with Habitat, for those permanently displaced after the cyclone. The GoS response was to release WST$25m in loan monies, via Samoa Housing Authority to be available for those affected by the cyclone for repairs and replacement of homes. Our proposal was deemed to be at odds with the GoS response.

Our current response – July 2013

We are working with another Samoan NGO to mount a cyclone strapping project as a response to cyclone Evan. In our opinion tens of thousands of dollars might be saved during the next cyclone, through roofs secured by adequate cyclone strapping and therefore not lost. Some domestic repairs are also expected in this project.

Accordingly the July/August Samoa project has been downsized to a cyclone strapping project, to strengthen roofs and so on. We are putting together the volunteer costs in the next couple of weeks.

Long term project: Normal housing programme – due to start next year

Habitat is working with its partners, to obtain 6 acres of land near Apia by August this year which will eventually accommodate up to 48 houses for the vulnerable and those with disabilities. At this stage we anticipate that project will involve between 120 to 150 volunteers, and is to start between April-14 and June-14.

Key Contact:

If you have any questions please contact:

Lou Maea (Overall Leader of the build): Email LMaea@habitat.org.nz | Telephone: 09 579 4111

Jackie Bubb (Global Village Coordinator): Email JBubb@habitat.org.nz | Telephone: 09 579 4111

Registration form:

Adult click here

Vietnam. Big Build

Begins : 04/08/2013

Team Leader

Leader of the build: Warren Jack. Email WarrenJ@habitatga.org.nz

Tien Giang, South Vietnam - August 4 to 10, 2013

• 150 NZ volunteers total

• Overall Leader = Warren Jack (Auckland)

• Estimated Cost = $4,800

• Cost includes: airfares, accommodation, meals during the build, airport transfers, compulsory medical insurance, HFH branded gear, and a contribution towards HFH Vietnam. The contribution will go towards future projects – purchasing land and/or materials, building up infrastructure, etc

• No building skills are required…but, a willingness to give things a go is compulsory!

• We always encourage volunteers to participate in some tourism before or after the build. Optional tourism packages will be offered. These will be available at an additional cost. For further details please contact Warren. Alternatively, volunteers may wish to organise their own travel arrangements/sight-seeing.

Background of the build:

• Habitat for Humanity Vietnam with its local partners will provide low-income families with decent homes and sanitation facilities to help break the cycle of poverty in Tien Giang province, south of Ho Chi Minh City. The province is prone to disasters such as flooding and drought. Many families, who are living from hand-to-mouth, have hardly any money to make house repairs after disasters, let alone have savings to build secure homes.

Where to from here?

1. A registration form (click on the link below).

2. We will require a copy of the photo page of your passport.

3. We will require a $300 deposit upon registration.

Key Contacts

Leader of the build: Warren Jack. Email WarrenJ@habitatga.org.nz

Global Village Coordinator: Jackie Bubb. Email JBubb@habitat.org.nz

Registration form:

Adult click here

Thai Binh, Vietnam

Begins : 15/09/2013

Ends : 29/09/2013

Team Leader

 

 

Thai Binh, Vietnam - September 15 to 29, 2013

• 12-15 NZ volunteers

• Team Leader = Kyle Fowler (Auckland)

• Estimated Cost = $2750 plus airfare

• Cost includes: accommodation, and meals during the build, compulsory medical insurance, HFH branded gear, and a contribution towards HFH Vietnam. The contribution will go towards future projects – purchasing land and/or materials, building up infrastructure, etc.

• Kyle is arranging R&R activities after the build.

Background – a message from Kyle

We will work together as a small, intimate and dedicated team with Habitat for Humanity Vietnam. We will build and assist a local family partner into a safe, affordable and secure home providing stability and family affordability.

No building skills are required... but a big heart and an absolute willingness to get stuck in, work as a team and support your fellow team members to learn and grow is a must. We are open to all ages from 18 upwards and all demographics wanting to give themselves in a meaningful way.

Registration form:

Adult click here

China. Yunnan - Closed Team

Begins : 22/09/2013

Ends : 29/09/2013

Team Leader

Helen Neale (Team Leader): travelasia@ihug.co.nz.

Yunnan, China – September 2013

• 15-20 Volunteers wanted

• Team Leader = Helen Neale

• Estimated Cost = $3251.00

Cost includes airfares ($1650.00), accommodation, meals during the build, airport transfers, compulsory medical insurance, HFH branded gear, and a contribution towards HFH China. The contribution will go towards future projects – purchasing land and/or materials, building up infrastructure, etc.

• Build dates: 22nd September – 29th September
Depart New Zealand on 20th of September

• An optional tourism package will be available at the end of the build. For details please contact Helen.

• No building skills are required…but, a willingness to give things a go is compulsory!

• We always encourage volunteers to participate in some tourism before or after the build. An optional tourism package will be offered after the build. This will be available at an additional cost.

Background on the build – A message from Helen

In China a rapid population growth has caused a sharp contrast between the prosperous in the cities and the poor living in remote areas. China has over 250 million people living below the poverty line. For this reason and also because I would love to visit China – I will be taking a build to the Yunnan region (South China). Yunnan is home to many ethnic minority groups. We will be building in Chahe Village, which is home to the Hani people.

Chahe Village

Chahe is small village and is officially part of the Mohei Township. It is located in the valley of the Babian river, 29km from the township and 47km from the county. Chahe village is located at the side of the highway and is accessible by a short mud road. There are 38 families with 149 villagers living in this village.

The average temperature is 22.3C and annual rainfall is 1400mm. The main crops are corn, rice, chilli and peanuts. The villager’s average annual income reported by the government in year 2009 was RMB 1, 496 ($242NZ). The current houses in the Chahe village are made from earth walls, tiled grass roofs, and earth floors. Most houses are broken or have been affected by earthquakes. The average house size is about 70 square meters. Most local people survive on their own harvest. The main income source for the local families is from selling produce and raising livestock. Housing and sanitation have been the two major concerns. Families have long required decent shelter. However, saving enough money to build new homes is beyond their reach. The participation and contribution from HFH and yourself is a critical factor.

Where to from here?

• Places are filling fast. To secure your position registration needs to be in by end of April.

Email Paul at paul@pgdesign.co.nz for information.

1. A registration form (click on the link below).

2. We will require a copy of the photo page of your passport.

3. We will require a $300 deposit upon registration.

Key Contacts:

If you have any questions please feel free to contact Helen Neale (Team Leader): travelasia@ihug.co.nz.

Or Jackie Bubb (Global Village Coordinator): JBubb@habitat.org.nz

Telephone: 09 579 4111

PLEASE NOTE: The completion of the registration form is not in itself an entitlement of acceptance for an HFH volunteer.

Acceptance as a volunteer is at the sole discretion of HFHNZ.

Registration form:

Adult click here

Spicebuild. Women's Build. Nepal.

Begins : 30/09/2013

Ends : 04/10/2013

Team Leader

Gill Burns from Habitat Lower North Island is leading this very special Womans build to Nepal. Contact Gill for more information.

Email gburns@habitat.org.nz

The Nari Chetana Mahila Krishi Sahakari Sanstha Ltd (The Nari Chetana Agricultural Cooperative Limited) is a community-based initiative developed and managed by women. Twelve years ago fifteen women from the village of Ghailadubba VDC of the Jhapa district of Eastern Nepal formed a support group to help each other, especially financially. They met and saved 5 rupees a month, which -with group agreement- could be used from the fund and repaid with minimal interest on a mutual needs basis; this meant group members could avoid having to borrow from banks and money lenders, who charged higher rates. In the process, the group members learned about saving and accounting methods, and began to receive interest on their savings. Gradually, the women noticed improvements in their personal financial situations.

As the group’s reputation grew, the women started to receive requests for help from other members of the community. Victims of domestic violence began to come forward, looking for support. The group began affiliating themselves with a range of NGOs. Collectively they began to learn about women’s legal rights, and issues relating to domestic violence, addictions, and community development. The Government’s agriculture office assisted them with various projects including cooperative tomato and cucumber farming and how to produce organic fertilisers. The group began to build momentum.

In time, and encouraged by the growing support of the local community, government and NGOs the group became registered as a formal cooperative. The Nari Chetana Women’s Agricultural Cooperative Limited was established six years ago. When the members saw the work of Habitat for Humanity Nepal, they sought a new partnership with Habitat to enable housing to be added to what they could provide. Cooperative members began saving and loaning funds for housing. Community members were able to replace the thatched roofing of their homes with tin sheets. Impressed by the success of such building projects, women from five other villages joined the cooperative and also began saving funds. With a growing reputation and widespread support the humble group of fifteen women has now grown to three hundred women!

The Spice Build

Building homes:

Habitat for Humanity Nepal has partnered with The Nari Chetana Women’s Agricultural Cooperative Limited. Habitat for Humanity New Zealand will send 50 women to Nepal to build homes alongside these inspiring community women and their families in a new Habitat Global Village initiative.

Building livelihoods:

Treasurer of the Nari Chetana, Mrs Lata Shrestha has advised HFH that much of the community relies on selling local spices. Currently community members are travelling 40 kilometres to utilise a spice grinder machine. Gill Burns, overall leader of the New Zealand volunteers has offered to assist in fundraising towards the cost of buying the community their own spice grinder machine as this will save travel and time for the women. This sparked the name for the project, "The Spice Build”. In addition, the women have requested support to buy a computer and set up an office. The HFHNZ women’s builds aims to build homes and also improve livelihoods for the women in Ghailadubba.

We require volunteers to join us on the build and assist us in these fundraising efforts.

Registration form:

Adult click here

Ethiopia. Debre Berhan. 2013.

Begins : 05/10/2013

Ends : 28/10/2013

Team Leader

If you have any questions please feel free to contact Paul Graham (Team Leader): paul@pgdesign.co.nz.

Debre Berhan – October 2013

• 15-20 Volunteers wanted

• Team Leader = Paul Graham

• Estimated Cost = $5100

• Cost includes airfares, accommodation, meals during the build, airport transfers, compulsory medical insurance, HFH branded gear, and a contribution towards HFH Ethiopia. The contribution will go towards future projects in Ethiopia – purchasing land and/or materials, building up infrastructure, and so forth.

• No building skills are required…but, a willingness to give things a go is compulsory!

• We always encourage volunteers to participate in some tourism before or after the build. An optional tourism package will be offered after the build. This will be available at an additional cost.

Background of the build:

• HFHNZ has sent nine teams to build homes in Ethiopia, and are pleased to have another team confirmed for 2013. Please see the proposed itinerary.

Where to from here?

• Places are filling fast. To secure your position registration needs to be in by end of April.

Email Paul at paul@pgdesign.co.nz for information.

1. A registration form (click on the link below).

2. We will require a copy of the photo page of your passport.

3. We will require a $1000 deposit upon registration. Payment instructions can be provided by Paul or the GV staff at HFH.

Key Contacts:

If you have any questions please feel free to contact Paul Graham (Team Leader): paul@pgdesign.co.nz.

Or Jackie Bubb (Global Village Coordinator): JBubb@habitat.org.nz

PLEASE NOTE: The completion of the registration form is not in itself an entitlement of acceptance for an HFH volunteer.

Acceptance as a volunteer is at the sole discretion of HFHNZ.

Registration form:

Adult click here

Cambodia.. A Project of Hope.(Smile Village Project) Phnom Penh City.

Begins : 03/11/2013

Ends : 09/11/2013

Team Leader

Leader of the build: Lou Maea. Email LMaea@habitat.org.nz

Phnom Penh, Cambodia - 4th to 8th November 2013

• 150 NZ Volunteers wanted

• Overall Leader = Lou Maea (Auckland)

• Estimated Cost = $4,600 to $4,800

• Cost includes airfares, accommodation, meals during the build, airport transfers, compulsory medical insurance, HFH branded gear, and a contribution towards HFH Cambodia. The contribution will go towards future projects – purchasing land and/or materials, building up infrastructure, etc.

• No building skills are required…but, a willingness to give things a go is compulsory!

• We always encourage volunteers to participate in some tourism before or after the build. An optional tourism package will be offered after the build. This will be available at additional cost. Alternatively, volunteers may wish to organise their own travel arrangements/sight-seeing.

Background of the build:

Volunteers of the Mekong Big Builds 2013 event in Cambodia will be building rental housing units at the Smile Village project, a community and housing development program to provide families from urban low-income communities in Phnom Penh with access to secure, adequate housing.

Habitat for Humanity Cambodia is the housing partner of Pour un Sourire d’Enfant (PSE), a non-profit organization, and is responsible for construction at Smile Village. PSE will provide education and vocational training facilities for children and older youth. In addition to houses, families living in Smile Village will benefit from:

• No threat of eviction

• Education opportunities

• Being able to save

• Vocational training

• Healthcare provision

• A safe, healthier living environment

• Sustainable revenue-generating activities

The project will also help families to prepare for home ownership.

Mekong Big Builds will launch the construction of 330 homes in Smile Village.

Cambodia: A Place With Fresh Air. Please see the video.

Where to from here?

1. A registration form (click on the link below).

2. We will require a copy of the photo page of your passport.

3. We will require a $300 deposit upon registration.

Key Contacts:

Leader of the build: Lou Maea. Email LMaea@habitat.org.nz

Global Village Coordinator: Jackie Bubb. Email JBubb@habitat.org.nz

Registration form:

Adult click here