Oct. 5–13, 2012
After the success of the first Everest Build in 2010, Habitat for Humanity
Nepal is once again bringing together partner organizations, corporations
and individuals to build homes together with local families in need. In October 2012, hundreds of volunteers from all over the world will join together to shine a light on the scourge of substandard or “poverty” housing and demonstrate what can be accomplished when families, communities and nations come together to build a future where every man, woman and child has a decent place to live.
As team leaders, Nepal has always been one of our most favorite Habitat countries to work in, so we are thrilled to return and share this beautiful land with Global Village volunteers for this very exciting “Big Build.” The warmth of its people, the richness of the culture, and the excitement of building a home will certainly create one of your fondest memories. Building with 500 international volunteers on 40–45 houses in 5 days will surely make for exciting times as well! Come with us and explore this amazing opportunity.
About Nepal
Home to the majestic Mount Everest and the awe-inspiring Himalayas, landlocked Nepal is also a country with deep cultural and religious roots stretching back more than 26 centuries.
The legendry birthplace of Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who achieved enlightenment as Buddha, the country is mainly rural and Hindu. Today Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world. Nearly one quarter of its people survive on less than US$1 per day. Life can be especially difficult for the many who rely on agriculture for a living. Severe floods, landslides and earthquakes are common and threaten their homes, fields and livestock. Poverty and a lack of jobs have led to a steady migration to the capital, Kathmandu, and other municipalities.
A decade-long insurgency also uprooted people from villages in search of safety. Migration and urban growth have resulted in a shortage of adequate housing, crowded living spaces and anincrease in substandard housing.
Structures are often made with thatched roofs and straw walls, sometimes supported by old timbers. Such dilapidated houses are hazardous. Thousands of families lose their homes to fires every year. Safety aside, families living in such conditions frequently lack access to clean water, adequate sanitation and electricity.
Nepal is as ethnically diverse as its terrain. The Nepalese are descendants of three major migrations from India, Tibet and central Asia. Nepali is the official language but more than 100 regional and indigenous languages are spoken throughout the country. Religion is also diverse in Nepal; Nepal is roughly 81 percent Hindu, 11 percent Buddhist and 4.2 percent Muslim.
About Habitat for Humanity Nepal
Everest Build 2012 is also a celebration of the 15,000 families in Nepal who have been helped by Habitat for Humanity in the past decade. The event is a milestone on the path to assist 100,000 families into safe, decent, affordable homes by 2016.
Nearly 90 percent of Nepal’s 22 million people live in the rural plains and mountain areas, primarily as subsistence farmers. Forty-five percent of Nepal’s population lives below the poverty line, with one infant in every 10 dying before the age of five. A lack of employment and poverty has forced one in 10 of the rural population to migrate to the capital, Kathmandu, and other cities—resulting in a shortage of adequate housing in towns and cities, crowded living spaces and the growth of substandard housing.
Habitat for Humanity Nepal builds in every major geographic area of the country, providing an affordable and decent house using the resources available in each location. This may mean mud and brick, bamboo or “green” clay bricks. These houses replace the thatch, straw, mud and bamboo houses that are now just pieced together. HFH Nepal also partners with other nonprofits to help teach families how to build homes, provide disaster-response help to communities affected by flooding and to provide clean water and proper sanitation to families in need.
About Kavre
We will be building in the Kavre district, located just an hour’s bus drive east of Kathmandu in Nepal’s central region. At the foothills of the Himalayans, this area includes many of the country’s Buddhist stupas and Hindu temples. It also includes many small villages with families in need of better housing. Note on your world map that Nepal is about the same latitude as Orlando, FL!
Types of construction for volunteers
Volunteers will be among 500 international volunteers building 40–45 houses. Some houses will be made of bamboo, others of sun-dried brick. Foundations will have already been completed by the time we arrive. Although not all houses will be completely finished in 5 days, volunteers can expect to participate in at least one house dedication on the fifth day.
Tentative itinerary
(9-day itinerary)
Day 1, Friday, Oct. 5: Depart for Nepal.
Day 2, Saturday, Oct. 6: Travel day.
Day 3, Sunday, Oct. 7: Arrive in Kathmandu; travel to host accommodation in Dhulihkhel; welcome and orientation.
Days 4–8, Monday–Friday, Oct. 8–12: Workdays; Build at sites, 8 a.m.–5 p.m; lunch on-site; breakfasts and dinners at hotel; free time and/or cultural activities in evenings.
Day 9, Saturday, Oct. 13: Depart for home.
Accommodations
Lodging will be provided in a local hotel in Dhulikhel with participants sharing double-occupancy rooms and attached bath.
Program cost
US$1775 minimum
(For more details about what is included in this cost, visit Global Village program cost.)
Build a better world: Take the Global Village Challenge
Habitat for Humanity International is challenging Global Village volunteers to make an even greater impact on the global issue of poverty housing. We are asking all GV teams to help us raise an additional $1.1 million in the coming year to support Habitat’s building projects worldwide. Take up the challenge! Join us in sharing our story and building a better world!
Team leaders
Bob and Leslie Bell have led 40 teams for Global Village and have worked with several other blitz builds including the Everest Build in 2010. You can read much more about them and their expectations for this trip by going to their website: http://sites.google.com/site/travelwithapurpose/. After reading the information on the website thoroughly, contact us at [email protected] if you are interested in applying.