Everest Build II - Preparation

 

Snapshots from the preparation of Everest Build II

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Ongoing reparation for Everest Build 2012

Storing extra bricks on the wall

Jamming the bamboo toilet base

Houses under construction

Home partner helping out

Floor ready for concreting

Concrete work

Concrete work

Bricks layout- Preparation for volunteers for Everest Build II

Bricks layout- Preparation for volunteers for Everest Build II

Ongoing preparation for bamboo house construction

Ongoing preparation for bamboo house construction

Preparation for flooring

Toilet under construction

Toilet under construction

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Everest Build -II Photos

People at work

Ongoing construction work 

Happy Faces

EB II houses under- construction

People at work with the scenic beauty on the background

Photographer: Mr. Sagar Chitrakar

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Everest Build-II 2012

With the successful completion of EB I, Habitat for Humanity Nepal (HFH Nepal) is very much excited and looks forward in launching Everest Build II. Everest Build II is a six day program which will be held during the month of October (7^th-13^th October, 2012) in Panchkhal, Kavre. Over these six days, around 600 international volunteers and delegates will arrive in Nepal and come together in an effort to build a future where lives of 40 families will change for better. Everest Build 2012 will focus on building cost effective houses with the help of such international volunteers in Panchkhal, Kavre.

Additionally, every year HFH Nepal brings over 1,000 international volunteers who spend over 21 days in Nepal and help to build houses at different places and also do visit places in Nepal as part of their vacation.

Apart from promoting local housing technology through Everest Build 2012, Habitat for Humanity Nepal also seeks to highlight the native culture amidst the multi-national volunteers by organizing its opening ceremony at Bhaktapur Durbar Square which lies 13 km east of Kathmandu. While the complex consists of at least four distinct square (Durbar Square, Taumadhi Square, Dattatreya Square and Pottery Square), the whole area is informally known as the Bhakapur Durbar Square, and is a highly visited site in the Kathmandu Valley.

We highly appreciate the support from both national and international volunteers who have helped us to come a long way. Their support has helped us in multiplying the number of families we serve and bring smile on their faces.

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Training So Far

2012 has been a year where we have trained many masons and staffs to act as a technical messengers and help in building homes for the people in need. Many Mason Training and TOT trainings have been conducted until July 2012.

Mason Training:

HFH Nepal conducted seven training sessions for local masons to become technical "messengers," equipped with the knowledge of using cost-effective construction technology to build homes. The training session helped the participants to understand the importance of using locally-available raw materials in constructing low-cost houses, a welcomed saving for the poor.

A special training targeted at woman masons was also conducted. It served to empower women with both theoretical as well as practical knowledge about cost-effective and environmental friendly building technology.

Preparing mortar

Bamboo strips woven in a frame to form the wall of a house

Participants carrying mud mortar

Learning mud plastering Techniques

Creating Meaningful Life through Housing- Training of Trainers (TOT):

Habitat for Humanity Nepal conducted a two-day "Training of Trainers" (TOT) program for staff and members of 11 local organizations. These organizations, active in different parts of Nepal, are HFH Nepal's partners in its five-year 100,000 Housing Campaign.

Some highlights:

The participants of NESDO (National Educational and Social Development Organization) expressed that the training session enabled them to gain a deeper understanding of HFH Nepal's model and vision of housing as a means of escaping the cycle of poverty. Participants said “We are surprised to see such beautiful buildings made of such “cheap” materials, it is almost mesmerizing to us.” They were so overwhelmed that they started choosing from the Habitat’s brochure which house they wanted to build for themselves.

Yogendra Mandal, Executive Director of Jiwan Bikas (a key partner of the 100,000 Housing Campaign), expressed his gratitude towards HFH Nepal and also his ambition of serving the Nepalese people to raise their living standards in a poem

“Supporters and Staff of Jiwan Bikas, it is time to wake up

We have miles to go and lots to achieve

We need change, and we have to work for it

Go into every corner and every village

Raise living standards, make lives better

Changing lifestyle can never be limited to talks about loans, savings, education or health

We have to find new ways to do it,

There are many houses we need to build for the poor

Thank you Habitat for Humanity Nepal for supporting us in this

For supporting us in this!” 

A 2-day TOT session was organized for 53 participants

Group photo at the completion of the training session

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Welcoming More Volunteers !!

The sky is clear blue; the rainfall has lost its way. The brightness of Autumn and the wait for winter, the clear Mountain View and the perfect weather makes it way for us to get busier for the Global Village Teams from October to November.

October –November was indeed the most eventful month for all of us at Habitat Nepal. The number of Global Village teams coming in and going out kept us busy, excited and it certainly moved us closer to our mission.

We hosted a total of 8 teams during October and November. To start was the 13 member Dutch group led by Don Van Dasler from October 15-22 in Morang. Their stay of one week was fun filled and very productive. Rajesh had a lot to learn and share after the build.

Dan Stowers led an 18 member team to Tikapur, Kailali from October 16-27. This experienced team leader was an asset to the team as well as the community and was successful in completing two houses and renovating two houses.

Mike Rodrique led a big team from Oct 28-Nov 11. It was a 25 member group who completed 4 houses within two weeks. The host coordinators Narayan and Sujit had an excellent time throughout the build and so did the team members.

To follows them was the team from HFH Knoxville who went to Kavre. It was a 14 members team led by Tom Pfalzer. They built two mud and stone houses and filled their stay with laughter and fun as well. Rima hosted the team and came back with a big satisfied smile.

Then, we had more exciting times coming. There were three teams arriving on Nov 6, 2011 and working till Nov 18. Steffan McNally from UK led a team to Morang from Nov 6-17. The ten member team built a bamboo house and left home with fond memories. Rajesh did an extremely good job once again.

Jennifer Isely led her team to Chitwan from November 6-18, 2011. It was a jovial 16 member team. They built a brick house there. Rashmi, the Host Coordinator returned home with a lasting friendship.

Suzanne led her 13 member to Pokhara and built 3 cement block houses. The cooperative team gave Habitat Nepal another big support and our host coordinator Sujit an eventful two weeks.

To end the busy times was an open team from UK. The 13 member team led by Andy Clarke from Nov 13-25 in Jhapa and hosted by Sandip was a good end to the October- November months.

To sum up, we built a total of 17 houses. Kudos to the team leaders and their fabulous team who made it all happen. Thanks to them for fulfilling the distant dreams of 17 families and bringing an impact in the communities and their lives. We would love to have you all again! J

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Global Village : So far in 2011

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!

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