Tuesday, July 05, 2011
Habitat for Humanity Nepal
The Global Village in Nepal was at its busiest phase in the first half from January to June 2011. We hosted a total of 17 teams and built 39 houses within six months. The teams came from all parts of the world and worked in various areas speaking more of how we live in just one world. The houses in the Eastern parts were mainly built of bamboo. In Pokhara we built houses out of cement blocks and Kavre houses were built of bricks and mud. The volunteers built brick houses in Chitwan. With varied locally available materials and respectively different ways of building, the teams got a fresh experience in each area.
We got to see enthusiastic youngsters from international schools in Malaysia, Denmark and Canada having fun and learning how life can be at different places at the same time. Similarly, the teams from USA and Netherlands showed their expertise and gave us many things to learn about. The youth groups from Japan taught us that it’s possible to speak the language of love be good friends if you have a heart rendered to service.
All in all, every team left with fond memories, valuable experience and tons of stories to talk about. HFH Nepal also learned with each new team, about how to make the program more effective and provide an overall cultural and construction awareness. The host coordinators also had their share of learning experience.
It’s not just building houses that make Global Village teams different. It’s the whole process of working together, building bonds between people of very different walks of liking and finding it all worth working for in the end.
Let’s hope the second half of the year goes better than ever and we get more smiles everywhere…on the face of the home partners, the volunteers and all of us who thrive for it!
