Hundreds of Habitat for Humanity volunteers travel to Nepal to build homes

They will work on 36 houses together with low-income families in Chitwan

Bangkok, 17 November 2014 – More than 500 Habitat for Humanity volunteers start building homes, alongside 36 low-incomes families, in Chitwan district, Nepal today. The volunteers have come together for ‘Everest Build III’.

Left to right - Bishnu Tamang and her son welcome the help of volunteers; dance and music at the opening ceremony of Everest Build III.

Among the families is Bishnu Tamang, 33, who said: “I’m very happy to have so many volunteers here. 

The house we will build together is totally different from my current house, which is old, small and full of suffering. 

This new house is new, with sufficient space and will be a healthy home.”

Rick Hathaway, Habitat for Humanity‘s Asia-Pacific vice president, said: “A decent home can help transform lives.

 It opens the doors to improved health, better performance in school for children, greater economic opportunities 

and increased community spirit. These volunteers will play a part in transforming lives.”

Everest Build III builds on the success of similar occasions in 2012 and 2010. The event is also a celebration

 of the 50,000 families already supported by Habitat for Humanity Nepal, and is a major marker in their target of

 assisting 100,000 families by 2016.

Aruna Paul Simittararachchi, Habitat for Humanity Nepal’s, country representative, said: “The work carried out at 

the build site this week will not only have a direct impact on the lives of these partner families, but have a ripple 

effect – encouraging other families to build homes, to generate more funds, and change policies. Our aim is 

a Nepal with no poverty housing.”

Next year Nepal will host the Habitat for Humanity’s 32nd annual Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project. 

Scheduled to take place from 1 to 6 November 2015, former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, 

will lead around 2,000 volunteers to build homes.

Often referred to as Habitat for Humanity’s ‘most famous volunteers’, President and Mrs. Carter give a week

 of their time each year to help Habitat build, renovate or repair homes in order to shed light on the critical role 

decent housing plays in providing a path out of poverty. For more information on how to volunteer for the 2015 

Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, please visit habitat.org/cwp/2015.

Everest Build III runs from 17 to 21 November 2014.

About Habitat for Humanity Nepal

Habitat for Humanity Nepal brings together individuals, corporations and partner organizations to build homes

 with Nepalese families in need. Habitat for Humanity Nepal was established in 1997 to address the need for 

decent and affordable housing. Habitat for Humanity Nepal currently assists 2.4 families per hour and plans to 

serve 100,000 families by 2016. For more information, visit habitatnepal.org, or follow as

 at  HFH Nepal Blog  & Facebook .

About Habitat for Humanity International

Habitat for Humanity International’s vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live. 

Anchored by the conviction that housing provides a critical foundation for breaking the cycle of poverty, Habitat

 has helped more

 than 4 million people construct, rehabilitate or preserve homes since 1976. Habitat also advocates to improve

 access to decent and affordable shelter and supports a variety of funding models that enable families

 with limited resources to make needed improvements on their homes as their time and resources allow. 

As a nonprofit Christian housing organization, Habitat works in more than 70 countries and welcomes people

 of all races, religions and nationalities to partner in its mission. Habitat has supported an estimated 1.5 million

 individuals in the

 Asia-Pacific region, where it has been active since 1983. To get more information, to donate or to volunteer,

 please visit habitat.org/asiapacific or follow us atfacebook.com/habitat.