Spring Newsletter 2012
Building a better world
In this issue: Nepal - one year on
Habitat Women - empowering women and girls
Hands and Hearts - Cambodia project update
Hello and Welcome Over the past 12 months I have witnessed another successful year for Habitat for Humanity. I’m Chris Franks, Chair of Habitat for Humanity Australia, and it’s a pleasure to have the opportunity to welcome you to the Spring edition of our newsletter, Building a Better World. Over the past 12 months I have witnessed another successful and busy year for Habitat for Humanity. We welcomed over 200 supporters to our annual Gala Dinner and asked for support for our project in Cambodia, both of which were extremely successful in raising funds to build more safe and decent houses for many people in need. Thanks to you, our wonderful supporters, we can continue to give families the hand up they need to build a better future, and I would like to thank everyone who gave so generously. In this issue of Building a Better World, you will read about some of the many ways your kind donations
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are being put to work in places like Nepal and Cambodia, as well as details of the projects we have planned for the remainder of the year. These include the launch of an urban renewal project which stems from our new and exciting partnership with other shelter and development organisations (page 07); more exciting Global Village trips; and an invitation to join the finale of our Hand in Hand project in Nepal, more details of which you can find on page 03.
and I invite you to see firsthand how your donations make a difference by signing up to join me on the Hand in Hand finale build in March 2013. Thanks again.
Chris Franks, Chair of Habitat for Humanity Australia
Thank you for your generous support of Habitat for Humanity Australia. With your help, we see the joy of families whose lives are transformed through our work – and know we will move more people from poverty and despair to hope in the future. I trust you will enjoy reading about these brighter futures your support is making possible,
Building a better world
Return to Nepal – one year on In 2011, Habitat for Humanity Australia sent 100 women to Nepal to launch our Female Headed Households project. Organised to mark the centenary of International Women’s Day, the team helped build the first 10 out of 250 homes for vulnerable households. From 3-10 March 2012, eight volunteers led by Habitat for Humanity Australia staff member Jenna Edmonds visited the project, spending the week helping to build another home. The group was warmly welcomed by the local women, who hugged and kissed them before running inside their homes to get the framed photos they had of themselves with the volunteers from the year before. Jenna visited three of the families who had been helped to build homes the year before, and was delighted to see how in the space of a year the houses had been turned into warm ‘homes’, with possessions neatly arranged inside and posters on the wall. One home had a vegetable patch out the front.
On this trip Jenna and the team worked with home partner Sunita to build her new Habitat home. Sunita is a strong and energetic widow with a son named Pranit and a daughter who is married with a child of her own. Before partnering with Habitat, Sunita had a difficult life as the sole breadwinner after her husband’s death, doing casual work as a labourer on construction sites every day to earn a living. Her old home was made up of bamboo pillars with a roof of straw, and in the rainy season the floor would get wet and the roof would leak, making life very difficult for the family. The Global Village team remember Sunita’s old home and being shocked to see that her ‘bed’ was a wooden table. Sunita’s new house has two rooms and is made of concrete pillars with tin sheet, and woven bamboo walls reinforced with mud plaster. At the beginning of the week, Sunita was very shy and didn’t talk much to the volunteer team, but by the end of the week, she was waving goodbye to Jenna and the team and was very moved at the house dedication ceremony.
House dedication ceremonies are held to mark the official conclusion of the build week. It is also when the formal handover of the house to the partner family takes place, giving the volunteer team and local community a chance to celebrate the brighter future of the partner family together. At Sunita’s house dedication, the whole community including the Chief turned up to see the new house opened. Sunita was very emotional and happy to finally have a safe and decent home, and the whole community squeezed into a tiny space in front of the house. So that all of the volunteers could be part of the process, Jenna had them all put their hands on hers as she cut the ribbon with Sunita to open her new home. “As I cut the ribbon I had everyone’s hands on me so we could do it together: that way it felt like everyone took part,” Jenna says.
Nepal: the Finale
From 3-9 March 2013 Habitat for Humanity Australia will be travelling to Nepal with Australian men and women to complete the final houses on the ‘Female Headed Households’ project. We have already recruited 27 people to join the build, and are looking for more intrepid men and women of all ages to come and get their hands dirty and celebrate the end of this project. Volunteers are required to fundraise $1350. Sunita and Jenna cutting the ribbon with the volunteers at the entrance to Sunita’s new home
Building a better world
To find out more about the Hand in Hand Finale Nepal Build, visit www.habitat.org.au/handinhand
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An outstanding success - the Nepal Project Update The Nepal project has been extremely successful, with a total of 231 homes now complete and a further 50 homes under construction. Because of this, and with the help of more funds raised, we’ve increased that to 292 houses. • A further 73 latrines were installed bringing the total to 170. • In all, 102 community tube wells have now been installed, providing a clean, reliable water supply to around 350 households. The households are extremely happy to have a clean water supply in their home, and are glad they no longer have to walk long distances to get water.
•6 8 women participated in a Health and Hygiene Training, which covered basic sanitation, personal health and concepts of nutrition. •A Dry Snacks Production training session was held for 10 female-headed household representatives and eight women from the community. These women will start work at a small factory as a group business after the monsoon season. A government representative who came to observe the group was impressed and has committed to supporting the training in the future.
•6 3 households have started income generation activities. Some families have chosen to expand their current business, such as keeping cows and goats, rearing pigs or running a small shop. Some families also sell fruit and vegetables.
Because of more funds raised and the success of the project so far, 42 more families will be helped by the Nepal project
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Building a better world
Helen Conway, Habitat Women Ambassador, told audiences about her fight for gender equality.
Habitat Women network helps women build their own future Habitat Women started as a network of 100 women from all walks of life who came together on the Centenary of International Women’s Day in Nepal in 2011. For one week, these women built 10 houses for 10 female-headed households, and learnt first-hand the true value of ‘a hand up, not a hand out’. Habitat Women believes that by supporting each other and working together, we can build a better society for women and girls around the world. Their vision is to see a world where every woman and girl actively participates in building her own future. Their mission is to: • Empower women and girls to build stronger economies, families and
Building a better world
communities through hands on experiences with Habitat for Humanity Australia (HFHA) • Champion HFHA’s work in empowering women and girls in Australia and developing countries • Assist with fundraising for HFHA projects and build experiences that provide positive outcomes for women and girls Helen Conway, Director of the Equal Opportunity in the Workplace Agency, is the Ambassador for Habitat Women. In July and August Helen travelled to Habitat Women events in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, speaking to over 220 people and celebrating the network’s launch. She spoke about her experiences in the corporate sector
and the passion that drove her to fight for equality between men and women. Attendees were touched by the stories told by the Habitat Women members about their trip to Nepal, the bond they built with their home partners and the joy they felt when they finally handed over the house to the family. Membership to Habitat Women is available to all women and men who have attended a Global Village Build and/or have donated or raised a minimum of $1500 for Habitat for Humanity Australia. To find out more about Habitat Women, please visit www.habitat.org.au/habitatwomen
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Training gives families new means of income
After building her home and completing livelihood training with Habitat, Njor has started teaching other community members to sew.
In March of this year Sophie Levins, Habitat for Humanity Australia’s Special Build Coordinator, along with members of the Hands and Hearts build travelled to Cambodia to visit home partners and to see the impact of livelihood training on families and the community. Home partner Njor was part of the pilot program for the Cambodia project, and the volunteers went to visit her to see what a completed home looked like and to see life a few months after the support of Habitat. Njor also received livelihood training and since then has begun working from her new home sewing sequins onto t-shirts. Njor sells the t-shirts back to a local factory to earn an income, and has been training other women in her local community in these sewing skills. She is very excited at all the things she has been able to achieve so far with her new skills and is very pleased to pass on what she has learnt to the other women so they can do the same. 06
Njor is also in the planning stages of selling fabric flowers at her local market, examples of which she made for all the volunteers who visited her. Sophie and the Hands and Hearts team also visited the Sophan family during the trip, taking fruit with them as a gift as per the Khmer custom. They proudly showed off their new home, which has bamboo flooring and a wooden structure. These are popular materials in Cambodia as they provide better ventilation, makes the house cooler, and when it floods the water runs under the house instead of flooding it.
The family also told Sophie and the team what a big difference this was making to the family’s life. For example, in one month they sold four chickens for US$25, which is enough to buy food each day and send the children to school. Watch the Hands and Hearts Livelihood Program video on Habitat for Humanity Australia’s YouTube channel.
The Sophan family began raising chickens after receiving training from Habitat for Humanity. They now have 30 ducks and 20 chickens and sell the eggs and waste as fertiliser for extra income. They showed the visitors their own gardens which contain vegetables like peas and zucchini. The community is constructing a marketplace and the family will be able to sell their produce there.
Building a better world
Working together for a common goal Led by Habitat for Humanity Australia, The Shelter Reference Group (SRG) was established in August 2011. Bringing together various organisations with a shared interest in shelter and development, partner agencies include World Vision, Caritas, Red Cross, Emergency Architects, Architects Without Frontiers and ARUP.
The Innovations Fund will see Australia lead a pilot project in Dhaka, Bangladesh
The aims of the SRG are to share learnings, challenges and opportunities within the field of shelter and development; to take advantage of opportunities to work together; to combine efforts and expertise to develop innovative approaches to shelter design and disaster risk reduction; and to advocate as a group for change to existing approaches to shelter and development. To date, the SRG has already achieved several positive outcomes including a research project in Sri Lanka and the Solomon Islands on shelter and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in the Asia-Pacific, with the possibility of developing a framework for DRR. Several agencies involved in the SRG were successful in securing an ‘Innovations Fund’ from AusAid, which will see Habitat for Humanity Australia lead a pilot project in Dhaka, Bangladesh with ARUP and Architects Without Frontiers. This exciting new project will look at slum renewal in the city of Dhaka, hopefully establishing a blueprint that can be used for future projects throughout the Asia-Pacific. These results are very encouraging and we are very much looking forward to what can be achieved through the SRG in the years to come to provide safe and decent housing for those in need. Building a better world
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“Habitat for Humanity has given me the opportunity and a chance to realise that childhood dream in a profoundly practical way that I had not been able to achieve as an individual.� Andrew Hii, Habitat for Humanity Australia HopeBuilder, Global Village participant and Bequestor
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Building a better world
Legacy Builder realises childhood dream Andrew’s Story “When I was a child growing up, I dreamt of becoming an architect so that I could design simple but affordable mass housing for those who did not have a roof over their heads. I didn’t end up pursuing architecture vocationally, but many years later I realised that my passion for property and affordable housing for the poor had not waned. “I first heard about Habitat for Humanity Australia when some university friends of mine went away on a build project to Vanuatu. I decided to respond to that niggling feeling that was still inside me all those years later by getting behind Habitat for Humanity and supporting the organisation. “I started supporting Habitat for Humanity and their projects as a HopeBuilder, as I felt that through my monthly gifts I could make a profound tangible difference in my own small way. “I also participated in a Global Village project in June and July of this year, volunteering to build homes in Mongolia for a week on the Blue Sky Build. Working alongside 32 other Australians, 190 international volunteers and 165 Mongolian volunteers, gave me a firsthand taste of the kind of work that Habitat for Humanity does on the ground. It also allowed me the opportunity to realise my childhood dream in a profoundly practical way that I had not been able to achieve as an individual.
Building a better world
“As well as physically building a house with the other volunteers and home partners, it gave me the chance to meet people and share this incredible experience with them. But the best thing about the trip was feeling and knowing that I’ve contributed something meaningful to the someone’s life, and the highlight was definitely completing the house, having the dedication ceremony and handing the ‘key’ over to the home partners and seeing their responses.”
Why I became a Bequestor “The passing of my mother two years ago after a short and sudden illness made me realise how fragile and short our lives are, and how important it is to have a Will that accurately reflects your intentions. “I came into this world with nothing and I will leave this world with nothing, and so apart from looking after loved ones I also liked the idea of my childhood dream ‘living on’ even after my passing through a Bequest in my Will to Habitat for Humanity Australia. “Although I’m relatively young and hope to still live a while yet, I’m reassured knowing that if I was to go suddenly, my passing will also bring hope to others as a result of my Bequest, and enable others to dream dreams of a better future.”
Bequests are a very personal decision, and we recommend you discuss the type of Bequest you might be thinking of leaving (after making provision for your loved ones) with your family and solicitor prior to finalising your Will. Donate your shares with ShareGift Australia Habitat for Humanity Australia recently formed a partnership with ShareGift Australia. If you have shares that you’d like to sell to help communities in need of safe and decent shelter, then ShareGift Australia can make the process very easy and tax effective for you. ShareGift Australia is a not-forprofit organisation that can sell and then donate your shares to benefit Habitat for Humanity Australia. The process is a convenient and cost-effective way to donate your shares, which would normally be expensive to trade. It’s easy to make a donation with ShareGift Australia. Visit www.habitat.org,au/sharegift for more details.
For details on how to leave a Bequest to Habitat for Humanity Australia, you can visit www.habitat.org.au/bequests or call Alexandra Mar on 1800 88 55 99.
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In September, supporters across Australia got together to share tea and cupcakes and raise money for Habitat for Humanity Australia. Events varied from small high teas with friends and families, to grand occasions at special ticketed venues. Fiona Kirk was one of Habitat for Humanity Australia’s High Tea hosts. Fiona, whose wedding was ‘High Tea’ themed and who has had a lifelong passion for all things vintage, hosted her High Tea on 22 September at the Lake View Ballroom at the Tuggeranong Community Centre in Canberra. “As a young girl I remember dreaming about music and beautiful long dresses, of tea parties, the beauty and the finery of yesteryear,” Fiona told us. “This love of a bygone era culminated in my recent wedding when my fiancé Travis and I hosted a High Tea Wedding for 25 of our closest family and friends.
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“I organised my own fundraiser when I was only 12, and that’s why raising money for those in need and volunteering my time has become a passion and something I simply love doing. When I heard about Habitat for Humanity Australia’s annual High Tea for Habitat fundraising event, I thought it would be ideal to combine my love of High Tea and fundraising and host my own High Tea. “On the day there were 12 different vintage styled tables. Everyone came dressed in their table’s theme and there were fashion shows throughout the event that brought my dreams of beautiful long dresses to life. We also set up market stalls, pamper beauty stations and had incredible dance shows. With over 200 guests it turned out better than I could have ever imagined: a fun-filled day with everyone including the children in gorgeous vintage style dresses, and men and boys in handsome suits and top hats dancing, singing and celebrating all things vintage!
“Of course we never lost sight of why we were there, which was to raise much-needed funds for Habitat for Humanity’s projects around the world. The funds we raised from our wonderful day will now go towards helping families build homes, gain access to clean water and give their children the schooling they so deserve – so that hopefully their dreams can come true for them, just like mine did for me on my wedding day.”
“ We never lost sight of why we were there, which was to raise much-needed funds for Habitat for Humanity’s projects around the world.”
Building a better world
Continuing work in Haiti, including the 2011 and 2012 Carter Work Projects, helps families envision a different world at home. By Phillip Jordan. Habitat for Humanity Australia is part of the wider Habitat International community, and we are pleased to include an article from our colleagues in the US on their work in Haiti. On Jan. 12, 2010, Frantzyse Erisma returned home from teaching kindergarten. Inside the house owned by her sister and brother-in-law, Erisma spent the afternoon tutoring a neighbor’s child, a 7-year-old who wanted to learn how to read. Teacher and student were working their way through a children’s history book of Haiti. Christopher Columbus had just reached the island of Hispaniola when concrete blocks began falling around Erisma. She made it out of the house with the child as the blocks continued to crack, crumble and thud behind them. In those first hours after the earthquake, Erisma found her 6-year-old daughter Kerry, who had been at a relative’s house. Erisma gathered scrap wood, suddenly plentiful in her devastated community of Carrefour, just west of Haiti’s capital in Port-au-Prince. She tied bed sheets between the pieces of wood to create cover for herself and her daughter. This past November, Erisma thought back often to those first days after the earthquake, and her first anxious attempt at building her own shelter. She was once again at work on a new structure for herself and her daughter – this time, a permanent core house built in partnership with Habitat for Humanity.
Building a better world
Homeowner Jean Louis Merissois, left, and volunteer George Stanton developed a bond while building Merissois’ new house. “I will take your friendship into my new home,” Merissois told Stanton. Photo by Allen Sullivan
In early November 2011, more than 400 international volunteers helped 100 Haitian families, including Erisma’s, build new homes during the 2011 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project. Named Santo by its new residents, the new community is situated on a former sugarcane field just outside Leogane, Haiti, very close to the epicenter of the 2010 quake. Families moved into their homes in February.
“It was very important for me to build my own house,” Erisma says. “I was very glad when Habitat explained that we would work on our own houses. If they are to be our homes, we should work on them ourselves.”
Today, with its 155 Habitat houses, Santo is a symbol of newfound stability and permanence for families starting life anew. And the community will continue to grow. In November 2012, the Carter Work Project will return to Santo, as volunteers and families once again work together to build 100 more houses. The ongoing effort is part of a larger Habitat shelter program funded by the Multilateral Investment Fund of the Inter-American Development Bank and many other donors.
“Now I have a home. Now I know I am secure,” she says. “I can think about other things. I can think about a new future for me and my daughter.”
During that November build week, instead of scavenging wood scraps, Erisma used a saw to cut boards for the walls of her new home. Instead of tying bed sheets together, she helped install metal roofing.
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World Habitat Day – promoting the right to safe and affordable housing About World Habitat Day
On 1 October 2012, Habitat for Humanity supporters throughout the world came together to promote safe, decent and affordable housing. Through a series of events and special activities, communities took action to advocate for change to the current systems, policies and attitudes that lead to unacceptably high levels of housing-related poverty around the world.
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The theme for this year was ‘Many Homes, One Community’ – with Habitat for Humanity International CEO Jonathan Reckford asking participants “What will you build”? and the highlight of the week was the annual Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in Haiti. In Australia, Habitat for Humanity participated in the event by hosting a special cocktail party in Sydney for supporters and partners.
In December 1985, the United Nations General Assembly declared the first Monday in October to be World Habitat Day (WHD). Since then, it has been a day for grassroots action throughout the world – starting in your community. The need is clear – 1.6 billion people live in inadequate shelter, with 1 billion of these people in slums. By 2030, it is estimated that a massive 2 billion people will live in slums. By advocating for universal decent housing and raising awareness of the fact the adequate shelter is lacking throughout the globe, WHD supporters can change the socio-economic systems that reinforce poverty housing, and make safe and decent housing a reality.
Together we can build a better world Yes! I want to help transform lives and build a future for families by giving them solid foundations. Please accept my gift:
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