Youth Build 2015

Youth Build - Habitat for Humanity Nepal

Between March 17 and 21, 2015, Habitat for Humanity (HfH) Nepal took part in the fourth annual Habitat Youth Build (HYB), a Habitat for Humanity Asia Pacific initiative dedicated to partnering with young people to create change. This year, fifteen different Asian chapters took part in HYB to combat poverty housing through building houses and providing education. HfH Nepal’s goal was mobilize 500,000 youth volunteers to build 5,000 houses. This year was a spectacular success, and this goal was easily surpassed. 7,491 houses were constructed or improved thanks to the hard work of 624,244 volunteers. 

HfH Nepal’s partner organizations were instrumental in the success of Youth Build 2015. They conducted an amazing amount of different builds and training sessions to provide decent homes for people in need, and to educate them on construction as well as hygiene and sanitation. Over 6,500 houses were constructed during Youth Build, and more than 850 were renovated, changing the lives of thousands of families around the country. 

The Rural Women Development Centre (RWDC), encouraged local people to learn construction techniques as part of the HYB, and helped to build over a thousand homes for people in need. In addition, they mobilized an amazing 285,000 volunteers, more than any other partner organization. In Kailali, the Kisan Multipurpose Co-operative Ltd taught people to make bricks and use mud plaster to build sturdy homes. Kisan also helped built 460 homes, giving locals a chance to apply their new skills.

In Morang, Jeevan Bikash educated children about the importance of keeping their environment clean and promoted personal hygiene. They also built 1,724 houses, the most of any partner organization. Mahuli Samudayik Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha in Saptari and Kisan Nawa Pravita delivered WASH training to students and taught local people proper construction techniques.

Top Row:  A NawaPrativa build, A group from one of the Kisan Multipurpose Co-operative projects, Students practice washing their hands after receiving training from JeevanBikash in Morang.
Bottom Row:  A house constructed by the Rural Women Development Centre, Some of the students who received WASH training from Mahuli Samudayik Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha

In addition, a number of Habitat Youth Build Ambassadors reached out and added their support to the Youth Build Campaign. Santosh Shah traveled to Sunsari to help fire victims. The well known T.V. journalist Prem Baniya helped construct houses in Ghorahi, Dang and participated in a press conference to raise awareness about poverty housing in Nepal. Reecha Sharma, the actress, painted houses in Kailali. Nirnaya Nsk not only helped in construction in Kavre, but also entertained the community by performing songs. He also advocated for better housing in Nepal. 

Clockwise from top:  PremBaniya helps construct a house in Ghorahi,  NirnayaNsk, works to build a house in Kavre, Santosh Shah helps the  families of the fire victims

Youth Build made a real difference in lives of many people in Nepal. One of the beneficiaries was Thagendra Chaudhary from Dang, a former bonded laborer who used to live with his family in a mud hut with thatched roof. The family’s poor housing situation led them to be marginalized from the community, and their hand-to-mouth existence made building a new home seem impossible. However, thanks to the hard work of volunteers during Youth Build, the family now has a new house made of bamboo with a galvanized iron sheet roof. Thagendra Chaudhary expressed his gratitude and delight, saying, “I am very pleased to have a new house. This is comparatively bigger and more comfortable. I heartily want to thank Habitat Nepal for serving needy families like mine.” 

Sharmila Chapagain, another beneficiary, exclaimed, “The future is bright,” after seeing the new house that was built for her and her two children during Youth Build by Global Village volunteers from St. John's School, in Vancouver, Canada. She had never had her own home before, but now has a safe and comfortable place to raise her family. 

From left to right: Volunteers work to build Thagendra Chaudhary’s new home, Sharmila Chapagain’s house under construction, the Global Village team from St. John’s School, Canada

Read More

Meeting with Youth Ambassadors for ‘Habitat Youth Build 2015

On February 26^th, Habitat for Humanity Nepal had its first meeting for Habitat Youth Build (HYB) with new and existing ambassadors. HYB is a Habitat for Humanity International initiative dedicated to partnering with youth to create change. This will be the fourth year that HYB has taken place. This year, Habitat for Humanity (HfH) Nepal aims to serve 15,000 families across Asia during HYB, raise over U.S. $ 500,000, and mobilize more than one million volunteers.

Youth ambassadors along with supporting ambassadors and HfH staffs pose for a picture

Aruna Simittrarachchi, the former Country Director of Habitat for Humanity Nepal, introduced Habitat for Humanity’s work in Nepal, and talked about the organization’s future goals. HfH Nepal has helped over 58,000 families since it started working in 1997. The organization has nearly 800 partners, and works in 40 districts. HfH Nepal aims to help 100,000 people and work in 62 districts by 2015. HfH Nepal has won a number of awards for its work, the most recent being the first category prize in AGFUND 2014.

Lala Baldelovar, the Resource Development Manager for Habitat for Humanity Nepal, introduced HYB to the youth ambassadors. She explained that over the past three years, HYB has served around three thousand families around Asia. In 2013, there were approximately 800,000 participants from eleven different countries. This year, fifteen different Asian chapters will take part in HYB. They are: Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Nepal, New Zealand, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and South Korea. The countries support the program in different ways. For example, last year Japan raised funds for the program, Bangladesh build houses, and Nepal and the Philippines campaigned for better housing. This year, Japan and South Korea are sending 400 and 300 volunteers respectively on Global Village teams to different countries, including Nepal, as part of HYB.

Sushma Shrestha, Habitat for Humanity Nepal’s Program Development Manager, shared HFHN’s plan for HYB. In Nepal, youths will assemble to demand stronger commitments to build one million houses by 2016. This year, HfH Nepal aims to build 5,000 houses in 40 districts by mobilizing 500,000 volunteers as part of HYB.

The meeting ended with a discussion where the ambassadors agreed they would support Habitat Youth Build. “Habitat for Humanity teaches us to respect what we have,” said Nirnaya Shrestha, one of the youth ambassadors and a performing artist, in reference to the importance of the project.  The youth leaders were enthusiastic about the Youth Build, and suggested a number of ideas to make the event even more effective. Prem Baniya, a TV journalist, proposed a media campaign, and emphasized the importance of media partners. He also discussed the benefits of engaging schools and universities. All of the Youth Ambassadors will take part in HYB and travel to different parts of the country to influence and mobilize youths. 

Read More

The power of youth to make a difference






Youth Ambassador for Habitat Youth BUILD 2014.

By Santosh Shah, founder and president of Today’s Youth Asia, owner and managing director of South Asia Communications, and producer and anchor of Power Talks, Nepal’s first talk show in English

At 33, I am rather hesitant to put myself in the league of youth. However, the concerns of young people are very close to my heart. I come from a country that witnessed nearly 10 years of civil war, with many young people caught up in the conflict......

 

To read more please click here...

Read More