Habitat for Humanity Nepal

Mica K.C.

2015-07-27T11:47:00.000+05:45

On 17 July and 18 July 2015, Habitat for Humanity Nepal distributed 500 temporary shelter kits to earthquake-affected families in Pedku Village Development Committee, including the village of Khatri, Sindhupalchowk district, Nepal. To date, HFH Nepal has distributed more than 2,000 temporary shelter kits in Sindhupalchowk, Gorkha, Dhading and Kavre districts. Related photos are available on the Asia-Pacific Disaster Response Portal. Interviews were conducted on 17 July and 18 July 2015. All photos by Habitat for Humanity Nepal/Sonny Krishnan and Sameer Bhattarai.

Mica K.C.

Mica K.C. (right) helps out her 90-year-old neighbor Hasta Kumari Khatri (left) by providing food sometimes.

Mica K.C. (Khatri-Chhetri ), or Mica “Didi”, a Nepali word for “big sister”, gave a big smile upon receiving a temporary shelter kit from Habitat for Humanity Nepal.

“Now I don’t have to worry about the heavy rain soaking my bed, making it very hard for me to sleep at night. No more raindrops on my body! Thank you Habitat,” Mica, a 50-year-old widow, said excitedly.

The magnitude-7.8 earthquake on 25 April had badly damaged Mica’s stone-and-mud plaster house in Khatri village, Pedku Village Development Committee, in Sindhupalchowk district. She had to take shelter in an adjoining shack that is used to store harvested corn.

Mica is among 500 families who received temporary shelter kits that were distributed by HFH Nepal on 17 July and 18 July. To date, Habitat staff together with local volunteers and community members, have distributed more than 2,000 kits to families in the worst-affected Sindhupalchowk, Gorkha, Dhading, and Kavre districts. Items in the kits, which include corrugated iron roofing sheets, iron rods and coiled wire, can be re-used in the construction of permanent houses.

Sindhupalchowk bore the brunt of the earthquake’s impact. According to the Nepal government, more than 66,000 houses, or two-thirds of the households, were destroyed or damaged in the district. There is an urgent need for shelter, particularly at the peak of the monsoon season.

Despite her own hardship, Mica is sharing her shack with another widow and her children from a nearby village. “I couldn’t sit here doing nothing to help this husbandless woman and her children. She and her children have nowhere to take shelter. I have space so they can stay here,” she said.

Mica’s husband died in a traffic accident 11 years ago and her two grown-up children, aged 23 and 25, are married with their own families in Kathmandu, more than 200 kilometers from Khatri village. According to Mica, widows and elderly women have great difficulties in getting help from male members of their community. Female-headed households also face additional challenges during disasters. Apart from caring for their children and the elderly, women have to take on tasks that men could have helped with, such as clearing the debris, putting up the roof and hauling construction materials. “We women, who have no husbands, have to help one another,” said Mica.

The women’s mutual help extended to 90-year-old Hasta Kumari Khatri. Mica and several women got together to hire laborers and rent a truck to collect the temporary shelter kits including one for Hasta Kumari. They are also taking turns to provide food to the elderly woman.

Hasta Kumari was out in the field, cutting grass to feed her cows when the ground shook violently on 25 April. She returned home to find it reduced to rubble. Hasta Kumari had to share a large tarpaulin with 300 others for nearly a month. “There wasn’t enough food and we often got very wet when it rained,” she recalled.

Mica K.C. (fourth from left, with white necklace) and women from her community are prepared to build

temporary shelters by themselves if help from male members is not available.

Mica said: “I’m really happy to be getting the temporary shelter kit and I know my neighbors will help me rebuild my house. I’ve contacted my male relatives from neighboring villages to help us construct the temporary shelters, using the kits distributed by Habitat. If they are too busy to help us, we ourselves will build them and pool our money to employ laborers for the heavy work.”

Notes:

Photos of Mica K.C. can be found in the Asia-Pacific Disaster Response Portal > NEPAL: Earthquake (April 2015) > Photos > 17-19 July 2015 - Sindhupalchowk

For more information, please contact: Geno Teofilo, Media Relations and Disaster Communications Manager, Asia-Pacific, Habitat for Humanity International via GTeofilo@habitat.org, mobile: +63 905 669 5985

Tiring but inspiring

2015-07-27T10:49:00.001+05:45

Phil Johnstone from New Zealand shares his experience of removing rubble for earthquake-affected families together with young local volunteers

What a privilege to spend a day clearing rubble with an enthusiastic group of socially-minded Nepali student volunteers.

My first experience as a Habitat volunteer was possibly the dustiest day of my life. It was poignant to work alongside the owners of homes destroyed by the earthquake of 25 April 2015. It’s hard to fathom what it must be like to see the home you have lived in for 60 years reduced to a pile of bricks, stones, wood, mud and scattered possessions.

But from start to finish, the energy, positive attitude and fun displayed by my 25 fellow volunteers turned a long, hot July day into an unexpectedly joyous experience.

Phil Johnstone works alongside other volunteers during Habitat for Humanity Nepal’s rubble removal activity in Sankhu, Kathmandu district on 3 July 2015. (Habitat for Humanity Nepal/Sameer Bhattarai)

We assembled on 3 July at around 9.30am in the badly damaged village of Sankhu, Kathmandu district, a 45-minute drive north-east of the capital Kathmandu. A majority of buildings lay flattened – with rubble piled high amidst half-collapsed walls.

Roughly half the volunteer group were female first-year university students – social work majors doing a Bachelor of Public Health degree. The rest were guys – either still in high school or in their first semester at university. We geared up with gloves, hard hats and masks, and following a group photo and a safety briefing, the work began.

I spent the morning on the first floor of a house, removing what remained of two walls that used to support a now non-existent roof. A small proportion of the bricks were suitable for re-use and these were carefully passed to volunteers at ground level and stacked. The walls were devoid of reinforcing, and bricks seemed to be only held together by mud. Little wonder these traditional houses proved no match for the two major quakes that took over 8,800 lives.

Fortunately for me, this rubble-clearing day featured a special lunch – a thank-you treat marking the last day of work by local volunteers, mobilized by Habitat for Humanity Nepal since the first earthquake on 25 April, before the monsoon kicked in.

Out came the mobile phones and the selfie stick, and our group was like any bunch of laughing, excitable young people on a shared mission.

(Above, foreground) Bhumika Parajuli clears debris from a destroyed house. (Below, in pink) Home owner Mangal Maya Malla, 60, with volunteers and Habitat staff who helped her save wood and bricks from her destroyed home. (Habitat for Humanity Nepal/Phil Johnstone)

Over lunch, high school student Ezekiel Rai, 19, explained why he and his friends Simon and Ismayal have chipped in on all 20 volunteer days. “Our exams had finished, and we are the youth. If we don’t take a step to help, that wouldn’t be good. It has been hard work but when we build a shelter and see a family move in, we feel proud and have joy in our hearts to have helped our country.”

Similarly, Bhumika Parajuli, 19, is driven by a strong sense of community connection. “I’m a public health student so it’s my duty to serve the public,” she said. “Doing this work with Habitat is our way to express what we aspire to do in public health in the future. This has been the best experience for us.”

My afternoon was spent pulling out wood and bricks from a pile of rubble that used to be the two-story home of Mangal Maya Malla, 60. Unmarried, Mangal had lived in the house all her life. She spent the day working alongside the volunteers – stacking bricks and pitching in with various digging tools.

“It’s a difficult task for these young people but it’s great for me. I was helpless but today I am not alone. I am so grateful.”

Her words capped a tiring yet inspiring day. Thanks, Habitat, for helping people left homeless by Nepal’s earthquakes, and enabling a new generation to step up and contribute.

Phil Johnstone is a New Zealand public relations consultant who is working toward a career as a disaster and conflict zone communicator.

Distribution of Transitional Shelter Kits

2015-06-01T15:04:00.000+05:45

A month after a devastating magnitude-7.8 earthquake hit Nepal on April 25, 2015, Habitat for Humanity Nepal, on 26^th May 2015, went to Kavre to continue its Disaster Relief (DR) activity of distributing Transitional Shelter Kits to the affected people of PipalTaar, Ward No. 4 of the Paanchkhaal Municipality. This site was were HFH – Nepal had conducted its Scout Build on August 2013.

Our partner organization, Gramin Mahila Bikash Bahu-Udeshiya Sahakari Sanstha, helped us identify the affected community in coordination with the District Disaster Relief Committee (DDRC), the District Development Committee (DDC) and the local municipality. Gramin identified 93 houses to who we distributed the Transitional shelter materials, which contained materials that can be re-used in the construction of permanent houses, and made 5 demonstration houses.

We also came across some visually – impaired people who, although were affected by the earthquake, hadn’t received any kind of relief till now. 28 of them received CGI sheets, in coordination with Blind Youth Association, Sukedhara, so that they could make a Transitional Shelter with help from their family and friends.

We had a 100% community engagement, as can be seen in the pictures below. The community leader, Simraj, made a highly commendable coordination, which is why the materials were very well received, by the community, too.

Habitat for Humanity plans to begin building the first 100 permanent houses in Kavre in June. The aim is to rebuild thousands of homes across Nepal, depending on the funding secured. The following are stories of earthquake survivors who received the temporary shelter kits from Habitat. They were interviewed in PipalTaar on May 27, 2015. All photos by HFH Nepal/Sameer Bhattarai.

Indra Bahadur Danuwar

Having survived the earthquake, Indra Bahadur Danuwar has decided to rebuild his house after the monsoon season is over.

When farmer Indra Bahadur Danuwar and his family of 8 felt the tremors from the April 25 earthquake, their immediate reaction was to hold each other’s hands. They were then harvesting tomatoes in the field outside their house. After the tremors stopped, Indra, 51, and his family members ran to the center of the village to help people trapped under the rubble.

Due to major cracks on the walls of his house, Indra said he and his family had to stay out in the open for a week after the earthquake. Finally, Indra was able to walk to a village nearby where he bought a tarpaulin which provided shelter for his family.

With many aftershocks, Indra feels that people are scared and unable to resume with a normal life. He admits that he is also affected. “My heart still beats very fast when I have to enter the house to retrieve things as I feel very unsafe inside it,” said Indra.

However, he wants to move on. He plans to rebuild a one-storey house with sun-dried bricks after the monsoon season as multi-storey houses are risky in his view. He said, “The demonstration shelters that Habitat built look very sturdy; they will protect us from storms and heavy rain. I have received the temporary shelter kit and I will build the shelter myself.”

Sanila Danuwar

(From left) Sanila Danuwar, her daughter and her husband, along with her cousins, outside the temporary shelter that Habitat set up. Sanila is thankful that her family will be protected from heavy rain.

Sanila Danuwar, a 27-year-old farmer, was working in the field when the earthquake struck on April 25, 2015. She did not realize what had happened until she heard shouts around her. She looked up to see several houses collapsing, including her neighbor’s house. Her first thought was of three-year-old daughter who was in the house with Sanila’s parents. After running up the hill, Sanila found that her house was partially damaged but her daughter and parents were fine. Her parents had held on to her daughter and stayed close to the door.

Sanila and her family of five then went to an open space and shared a tent with another eight relatives. Sanila and her family could not continue living in their house as they were afraid that their neighbor’s house would collapse on their house.

On May 27, when Habitat for Humanity distributed temporary shelter kits to families in PipalTaar, Sanila was very much involved in setting up her own temporary shelter. She said: “I am very happy that Habitat is helping my community by distributing temporary shelter kits and giving us a demonstration. The shelter that the volunteers have built will protect me and my family members from heavy rainfall.”

Pabitra Danuwar

Heavily pregnant Pabitra Danuwar (left) feels the loss of shelter most keenly as her house
(right) is not safe to live in.

Pabitra Danuwar, 26, was 8 months pregnant when the first earthquake hit Nepal on April 25, 2015. She was buying groceries in a village near the PipalTaar community where she lived when she felt the ground move. She lost her balance and fell down on the street. After about 15 minutes, her sisters came looking for her and took her to a place where she could sit down and rest. She suffered a lot of pain for a few days after the earthquake when the aftershocks were frequent. Despite the pain, she walked from her house to the nearest hospital, an hour away, to seek medical attention.

At present, she is staying in a tent together with 14 members of her extended family. Pabitra and her family do not feel safe living inside their house which has several cracks on its walls. “Losing my house has been the hardest thing to bear since the earthquake hit. The tent that we are staying in will not be able to protect us from heavy storms,” said Pabitra.

According to Pabitra, people in the community are afraid of being attacked by wild animals, even tigers, when they are staying out in the open. She is very uncertain as to what the future holds for her and her yet-to-be born child. She hopes the aftershocks will stop soon and she can have a safe delivery of a healthy child.

However, They Survived

2015-05-11T10:52:00.000+05:45

Habitat for Humanity Nepal staff along with volunteers from various places like Nepal Scouts, Nepal Academy of Tourism & Hotel Management (NATHM) College, Rotary Club (Lalitpur District Chapter) and others had been to Bungamati, Lalitpur for the purpose of removing rubbles from few areas, in and around the capital, which have faced the most devastation by the 7.8 Richter scale earthquake that befell Nepal on 25^th April 2015.

Rubble removal is the first step of a lot of other different activities Habitat for Humanity Nepal has in the pipeline as its Disaster Response (DR).

Ashok Maharjan

Dhokaasi Sata: Tole, Bungamati, Lalitpur, Nepal

47 year old Ashok had his 4 storey house come down due to the 7.8 Richter scale earthquake that hit the capital on Saturday, 25^th April 2015. However, he was lucky enough to not have any of the 9 members: his mother, wife, son, daughter, brother, sister-in-law, 2 nephews including himself inside the house when it came crumbling down. It was a 45-46 yr old house.

They’re currently taking shelter under a tent with clothing and food being additional problems.

He says he, among his family, is having difficulty breathing and ENT (Ear Nose Throat) problems due to the dust and also fever during the night as he engages himself the whole day in clearing the rubble where his house once stood.

Krishna Maharjan

Laachhi Tole, Bungamati, Lalitpur, Nepal

Made after the devastating earthquake of 1990 BS, Krishna’s house is nothing but rubble now. With 6 members: mother, wife, son, brother, grandfather and himself residing in the house, during the earthquake it was his brother along with grandfather and some other relatives who were inside the house. Although his brother seems to have sustained back and feet problems his grandfather is absolutely fine. He doesn’t have the slightest of scratch!

Just like the most of the survivors, they’re also staying in a tent. All the rubble around, which creates dust, is bringing about cough problems to them too.

The Nepal Earthquake 2015

2015-05-08T13:10:00.000+05:45

25^th April 2015, Saturday, suddenly became a day to remember in the Nepalese history on 11:56 am. A rocking magnitude of 7.8 Richter scale hit Nepal bringing down most of its cultural heritage which were in the core areas of major cities like Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur. The number of lives lost till now has been recorded as 8020 (source: www.ekantipur.com) and still counting, with an expectation of it to go even higher in the days to come.

Although the loss of thousands of lives in itself is sad, the loss of the cultural heritages, some listed in UNESCO’s list of World Heritage, is equally depressing. The country is not only in bereavement due to the loss of lives but the difficulty most will face now due to the destruction of those heritages which served as a means of livelihood for a lot and source of revenue for the nation as it played a crucial role in Nepal’s tourism sector.

However, the Nepalese aren’t backing down. Everyone, from the old to the kids, are helping out with whatever resources they have with them. Such is the spirit of the Gurkhas, the people from the land of the Himalayas.

And in this spirit, the Habitat for Humanity International Nepal Disaster Response (DR) Team along with people from volunteer organizations like Nepal Scouts, students from NATHM College and from other varied sectors have come together to enforce their spirits with whatever resources we have at hand.

We have removed most of the rubble in the Harisiddhi area of Lalitpur, one of the most hit areas of the district and plan to move ahead with rubble removal at other areas of need.

HFH - Nepal staff along with volunteers clearing rubble

at Nibha of Harisiddhi in Lalitpur district

Volunteers passing the collected rubble in trays to speed up work

Youth Build 2015

2015-03-26T15:02:00.000+05:45

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

Mason Training in Dang

2015-03-13T14:10:00.000+05:45

One of Habitat for Humanity Nepal’s current strategic goals is to improve the lives of 24,000 Ex-Kamaiya people by 2016. Under the Kamaiya system, which was abolished in the mid-2000s, thousands of Tharu worked as bonded laborers to repay debts owed by their ancestors. After the Kamaiya system was banned, many Tharu households received land grants from the government. However, the ex-Kamaiya communities still face a variety of problems. Houses are basic, small, and unhygienic, and often lack access to clean water. Furthermore, land plots are often too small for traditional farming techniques.

The Ghorahi Community Development Project seeks to improve living conditions for Tharu ex-Kamaiya households in the Dang District, in the Western Region of Nepal. The project began in February 2014, and will continue until January 2017.

The participants of the training sessions with the home partners

Habitat for Humanity held two mason training session in the village of Masina in the Ghorahi Municipality in Dang. There were two training sessions, both of which took place in Masina. The first took place from February 23 through March 1, and the second began on February 25^th and ended on March 4. Both sessions were well attended. The first session, which was sponsored by The Charitable Fund, had 33 participants, 28 of whom were women. The second, which was sponsored by Korean International Coperation Agency (KOICA) had 28 trainees, 21 of whom were women. Each session was also attended by several skilled masons, who helped train the participants.

These training sessions not only provided the participants with income generating skills, but also began construction on two houses for families in need. Bindyararani and Kaliprasad Chaudhary live in Masina with their two sons, Anup and Janak. They are seasonal farmers, but lease the land that they work on. They only own a small piece of land for their house, which was badly damaged during the monsoons last year. The heavy rains and the floods damaged the walls, and shifted the foundation enough that the whole house was tilted.
Their neighbors, Juerani and Thaglal Chaudhary, also suffered similar problems. The walls of their house cracked due to the floods, which made the whole structure unstable.

The two families were in dire need of new homes, so that they could have a safe and sturdy place to live. Through the mason training, Habitat for Humanity Nepal was able to begin construct on these new homes, which were made of mud brick, with stone foundations. When complete, the houses will have two stories, as well as an attic.

The mason training took place over the course of a week. During this time, the participants learned how to construct a house step by step. They were taught construction techniques, how to use tools, and everything else that they needed to know in order to construct decent homes. Every day began with an hour of theory, before the trainees went to the build site and learned from practical hands on experience.

On the first day, the participants learned how to create a foundation. They learned how to measure and dig a foundation, and on how deep it should be. They then went and dug and laid for the house. On the second day of training, the trainees laid two feet of stone masonry on the foundation, and then started laying bricks. They also created a mud floor on top of the foundation, and learned how to build a well.

Various stages in the construction process

On the third day, the participants continued the brick work and placed window and door frames in the walls. They learned how to check if they were straight, as well as how to make a good quality mud mortar. They also began constructing a well, as access to clean water is vital for both preventing diseases and maintaining good sanitation.

The participants finished the well on the fourth day, and continued working on the brick walls. In addition, they learned to make bamboo scaffolding. Work on the walls continued on the fifth day, where the participants also placed the timber beams that would serve as the base for the next floor.

The last two days of the program were spent finishing the first floor, and continuing to work on the second. On the final day of the program there was a certification ceremony for the participants. The participants in the KOICA session also received tools of their own, which surprised and delighted them.

HFH Nepal collected feedback from the participants, all of whom said they were very happy with the training. They were all excited to apply the skills that they had learned, and many of them said that they would help their neighbors and relatives with masonry problems.

Japanese GV Team Feb 8-18th, 2015 - Parsa, Nepal

2015-03-04T10:34:00.002+05:45

Parsa Build

Masiyani is a small village of around 130 houses in the Parsa district. The community is poor, and most of the people living there are illiterate. The nearest school is three kilometers away. Houses are mostly made of mud, and are poorly ventilated. Clean drinking water is rare, as are modern toilets and sanitation.

Lalsa Kumari and Munni Devi, two residents of the village, were in need of urgent help. The houses that they lived in with their families were starting to fall down around them, letting in the cold weather and the elements. On February 8^th, a team of Japanese students and a teacher from Kwansei Gakuin University arrived to build them better homes

The Global Village Team and the Home Partners in front of the new home

The volunteers had fun constructing the houses. While the work was sometimes physically demanding, it was also gratifying. The volunteers especially enjoyed plastering the houses, and mixing mud with the homeowners. Spending time with the women and their families was one of their favorite parts of the trip. Whenever the volunteers had time off from their work, they would play with the local children, who were all very excited by what was going on. The team was surprised by how close they became to their home partners, and how welcoming the community was.

From left to right: Maho plasters the walls, Rika cuts bamboo, Sayaka says goodbye to the families

There were a number challenges the team had to face. One was the lack of toilets and proper sanitation. As well as building houses, they also had to construct a temporary toilet facility. However, this challenge led to greater progress. The villagers were very impressed by the facility, and the principle of the local school highly encouraged parents to build something similar, promising a few extra marks for their child if they did so.

While there were other challenges, including the language barrier, and the distance of the site from the hotel, through hard work and perseverance, the team was able to overcome these to complete two houses. Lalsa Kumari and Munni Devi were delighted with their new homes, which were constructed of bamboo and brick respectively. They thanked the volunteers for giving them a decent place to live and to raise their families.

Meeting with Youth Ambassadors for ‘Habitat Youth Build 2015

2015-03-03T12:37:00.000+05:45

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.

Smiles all round at close of Everest Build III

2014-11-29T21:16:00.001+05:45

Within next month, 36 families will move into decent and affordable homes built of woven bamboo and cement plaster walls

Habitat home partners Sanu B.K. (far left) and Sharada Pariyar (right) help to build their own houses.

BANGKOK (November 21, 2014) – Wide grins on the faces of new home owners, partners, volunteers and staff marked the end of Everest Build III in Nepal on Friday. Fresh from house dedications and handovers, more than 500 people gathered in a colorful tent in the new community of Amiliya, in Chitwan district, for the formal ceremony that closed the five-day build event. Standing proud, 36 homes built of woven bamboo and cement plaster walls, with zinc roofs glinting in the sunshine, provided the perfect backdrop for the festivities.

As they waved goodbye to the international volunteers, Habitat for Humanity partner families reflected on the activities of the week. Among them was 41-year-old Sharada Pariyar: “Had my family members and I weaved woven bamboo ourselves, it would have taken two to three months. They [the volunteers] all did it in two days.”

Sharada has already started making plans for her families’ future: “My husband, daughter and I are tailors. I want to start a small tailoring business on the patio of my home and sew clothes for the community. I will be able to cater to the needs of my neighbors and earn a living.”

Within the next month, families will take up residence in their new homes, shifting from their nearby makeshift structures into safe, decent and affordable homes.
“The authorities threatened to demolish our houses. I spent my days and nights worrying where my family and I would go. Now I have a house of my own and nobody can demolish it,” said Sanu B.K., 36. Sanu and her family of six had been living in a one-room house.

International volunteers, drawn from 16 countries, shared their joy. Joining her daughter Wendy, 46, and granddaughter Laura, 20, on their first first-ever Habitat build, Anne Robinson, 70, said: “It’s been an absolute revelation. This is communities helping communities. You hand out money but usually never see how it’s being spent. This is personal.”
Joining Anne, Wendy and Laura in the volunteer team from Australia were local celebrities, Lisa Lamond and Adam Dovile, recent winners of House Rules.

(Top from left) Australian volunteer Wendy Johnstone with her mother Anne Robinson and her daughter Laura;
(Center, left) Tuakana Wichman from New Zealand; (center, right) newly weds Jeffrey and Suzanne Anderson from the U.S.; (Bottom) Kendra Lancaster from the U.S.

Working on another house, were newlyweds Suzanne and Jeffrey Anderson, who asked for donations to Habitat for Humanity instead of wedding gifts. Their Everest Build III experience formed part of their honeymoon.
Also from the US, although currently living in Abu Dhabi, was Kendra Lancaster, a member of the US Paralympic volleyball team. She said: “The build has been very special for me. Whenever I travel, I buy souvenirs to remember the place. But here I have so many memories and I got an opportunity to understand the culture and people better.”
The largest contingent of international volunteers came from New Zealand. In their team, 82-year-old Tuakana Wichman, summed up the week: “The families can’t build homes with the little money they earn. We build the house up, and then it grows. I want to come back. It’s in my heart to do it.”
Next year Nepal will host 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.
To view more photos of the build week, visit HFH Nepal’s Facebook page

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

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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.

Annual Report FY2014

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Message from

Country Representative

Dedicated partners and committed staff have brought many success for Habitat for Humanity Nepal in

With the completion of the first phase of an Australian-funded project in western Nepal, we are now replicating the project in the Far Western region. The second phase still focuses on improving the living conditions of ex-Kamaiya, or former bonded laborers. The project aims to help 437 ex-Kamaiya families by the end of 2015. Female-headed households in the Eastern region are another group of vulnerable people with whom HFH Nepal is working to improve their homes and lives.

After mobilizing tens of thousands of local volunteers in the Habitat Youth BUILD campaign in May 2014, we are looking forward to working with international volunteers during the Everest Build III from November 17 to 21 in Chitwan, central Nepal. About 400 international volunteers will work alongside Nepali families to build 35 bamboo houses over five days.

Our Global Village volunteer teams ... read more

Japanese GV Team 1 – 10Sep, 2014 - Kavre, Nepal

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The first month of autumn-September gathered twelve members from Japan in Panauti, Kavre with the purpose of erecting a decent shelter for Bijaya Sainju. This Japanese team cooperated with HFH Nepal’s partner organization Udhyam Bikas and successfully built a mud, bricks house for Sainju family.

Over ten days, team constructed a four room house made up of burnt, unburnt bricks and mud. The foundation of a house was done by bricks. During the build, the volunteers assisted in mixing the mud and water, carrying mortar, plastering the walls, cutting the bamboos, flooring and landscaping. Besides constructional work the volunteers had an excellent interaction with the local people and home partner family. They were seen enjoying the friendly companies of children during their spare time.

Home Owner -Bijaya Sainju

Japanese GV team working at the construction site - Panuti, Kavre, Nepal

Through GV I have made an experience which I had never experienced before. – Kota Ichihara(Team Leader)

Helping people as a volunteers had made me feel better. I am thankful to everyone for helping us. I love everything here: great nature, excellent friends, and lovely children. It was fun to play soccer during spare hours. I don’t have any complains. Thank you for such a wonderful experience. - Yusuke kobayashi

I have been so excited to help Nepali family and build up a house for the past 10 days. – Hisaki Sawamura

I found “my life” throughout this experience. –Yuma Koyanagi

A house build by Japanese GV Team House dedication Program - Team leader Kota

Working in such a great nature was less hard and more fun. – Chiko Onishi

This is my first visit in Nepal. I really enjoyed working with Nepalese folk. The nature of this country always provided me a comfort feeling. I would love to come back to Nepal and work again. -Megumi Fujimota

Japanese team posing in front of newly constructed house of Bijay.

The power of youth to make a difference

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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...

Great Memories of Spice Build 2013, Nepal

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Qatar GV Team 11 – 17May, 2014 - Chitwan, Nepal

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Volunteers helping each other on the site

On 11 May 2014, 13 volunteers from Qatar united together at Bharatpur, Chitwan to build a shelter for Home partner Mohan Maya Rimal. Mohan Maya is a single breadwinner of her family who works as a labor to earn her living. Since many years she has been staying at her daughter’s place and was in desperate need of her own house.

In the meantime, the volunteers from Qatar joined their hands to provide Rimal her house of her dream. Over a week the team constructed a decent house for Rimal. The house was made of cement blocks and stones with stone foundation. During the build volunteers worked along with HFH Nepal’s partner organization Amardeep Saving and Cooperative Ltd. All the members of team assisted in carrying stones, mixing cement and preparing mortar for building. In addition to that they learnt to use the constructional tools as shovel for mixing mortar, trowel for building walls and hand saw for cutting wood planks. Despite the scorching rays of sun, the team enjoyed working together.

Volunteers shared their experiences:

GV team working on the Construction site

“During the trip I went through many different emotional feelings. From thinking why did I ever apply to this trip when working under the rearing sun on the first day to this is perhaps, the best thing I did while standing on the elephant on the river. Overall, the construction program was a great way to know people and help the needy one, and one that I can cherish for very long time. If time and circumstances permit, I would like to come back again as a GV team to a different place in Nepal with different ethnicities and geography.” - Aayush Karki

“The only reason my summer was good was because I volunteered for this service trip. I loved the welcome and farewell ceremony. Even though, it was my first time in a construction site, I was able to learn how to use tools and what to do for finishing work. I hope to go in more service trips.” - Omar Mohamed

“I have gained leadership, teamwork, and construction skills here. I would not have received it anywhere else. I’ve learned a lot about the culture and will never forget this.”- Mounir Sheikh

“Building houses was the best thing and interacting with locals and spreading happiness to the faces.” - Lamis AL-agamy

Group Photo with home owner Mohan Maya Rimal

Canadian GV Team 6-18 April, 2014 - Chitwan, Nepal

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Home Partner Manamaya Tamang. & team member

“It’s a terror to live nearby these jungles in an unprotected place. I always dreamt of having my own well-built home and that has come true today. Thank you Canadian GV team for your support and keen work.” – Home Partner Manamaya Tamang.

anamaya Tamang from Bharatpur, Chitwan belongs to a poor family. Since many years they had been residing near a jungle in a fragile house. She always wanted a spacious and strong house for her family. In the meantime, a Canadian team of 14 joined their hands to fulfill her dream. Over 13 days, this team succeeded to erect a 3-room cemented block house with CGI sheet roof.

GV Team working on the Construction site

The team worked along with HFH Nepal’s partner organization Amardeep Cooperative Ltd for the construction of the house. The volunteers assisted in carrying blocks, preparing cement mortar, plastering walls and roofing. They contributed their sweat and toiled in order to fulfill a dream of a family they were unknown to, before visiting Nepal.

photos from House Dedication Ceremony

USA GV 6-18 April, 2014 - Kavre

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Home Owner Nirmala &
her Children

Summer means hot temperature with long days making it difficult to work. But this team of 7 from USA never hesitated to give their best in such weather. On 6^th of April, a GV team from USA came to Nepal to build a shelter for Nirmala in Panchkhal, Kavre.

The team constructed a 3-room house made up of stone, mud and unburnt bricks with walls of stone and galvanized iron sheet roof. The American volunteers along with HFH Nepal’s partner organization, Gramin Women Development Multipurpose Co-operative Ltd, worked together to construct a decent house for Nirmala. During the build, the volunteers made mud mortars, lay stone, dug soil, stamped on mud water and also learnt how to use construction tools.

Valerie Plaskt, team leader, was always encouraging her team members to work hard. She was truly leading her team to accomplish the work. Additionally, the team and home partner had very good interaction making the build much easier.

GV team working on the Construction site

Valerie Plaskt shared- “This is my 4^th GV including Nepal and I am glad to have been part of all these builds to change lives by building a shelter for the families.

photos from House dedication ceremony

Dedicated mind - HFH Nepal Youth Build Ambassdor & Actress Miss Reecha Sharma

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Reecha Sharma born on 16 July 1987 is a beautiful model turned actress who has been popular for her acting in movies, music videos and ramps. Reecha believes “life is not a bed of roses”. Modelling and acting has always been a passion for Reecha. Film world has been a part of her life. Daily shooting, acting, crying and laughing is her schedule apart from her reality world. In addition to her film world, Reecha is also a Youth Ambassador of Habitat for Humanity Nepal. She was introduced as HFH Nepal Youth ambassador in 2014 with the motive of drawing the attention of youth towards the need of decent housing which enable families to maintain a healthy and secure life as well as promoting the spirit of volunteerism

In the meantime, while Reecha was in a procedure of shooting her upcoming movie as a cop, she was asked to shoot a scene in a movie where she had to drive a heavy vehicle towards a house and break into it. Yes, being an actress it was her obligation to do the scene but her humanity does not let her do so. So, when she was questioned on her rejection to the scene she firmly answered that she is an ambassador of HFH Nepal working in favor of building shelter and cannot give a shot for breaking down the house. Therefore, in one hand while she has been engaged in something concerned with constructing how can she act on something related with destroying?

She shares- Neither my heart will let me do this scene nor my guts. I can say nothing much but a clear NO to this scene from my side. I am committed to to build homes and give life and hopes to the homeless.

Netherlands GV 23-28 March 2014 - Jhapa

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New Experimental at GV House while hosting Namaste Team, Netherlands GV at Jhapa

Home Partner Kamala Pulami with GV Team

I feel glad that I succeed to build a house from my small business, selling bananas. I had really worked hard to sell the bananas and invest the income in the construction of house. Moreover, I am thankful to the volunteers from Netherland who contributed their sweat in building my house of dream into reality.”- Kamala Pulami (Home partner)

“We would be staying in same shack if there were no GV teams to help us. I am grateful to the Netherland GV team who assisted to construct our home. Thank you volunteers, HFH Nepal and Aviyan Nepal M. C. for helping us to build my shelter.” – Ranjana Magar (Home partner)

Summary of GV

Name of Team: Namaste Team, Netherlands GV

Date: 23-28 March 2014

Team Leader: Jacco Van Bennekom, 15 member in a team

Home Partners: Mrs. Kamala Pulami and

Mrs. Ranjana Magar

No. of house built: 2 (Bamboo)

Local Partner: Aviyan Nepal Multipurpose Cooperative Ltd.

Host Coordinator: Rajesh Rai (Habitat for Humanity Nepal)

Some facts from GV Host:

The GV team named Namaste from Netherland is a unique team consisting all male members who succeeded to build the house on their own, without any assistance of local mason. Though the pre-building structure of a house initiates from framing and roofing, the volunteers initiated their task from drilling, putting vertical post, cutting, cleaning, weaving bamboo, plastering wall and finishing along with partition of rooms by bamboo. As a host coordinator, I must say that the build was the first time where we were not assisted by any local mason for concrete plastering on wall and finishing task. And it was experimental.

Team Activities:

Contribution from the team:

the Namaste GV team donated some tools which might cost around NRs. 50,000 (Fifty thousands). They brought small bamboo cutters, shovel and other tools that were useful as well as helpful for the construction work.

Constructional tools contributed by
Netherland GV team, Namaste.

Post build house visit:

Finally, about 3 years later the team got an opportunity to visit the house that was once constructed by them. And to their findings they were cheerful to see a clean complete house along with the accessibility to water facility. Previously, there was no water facility. The families had to walk long distance for water.

Hence, the outcome made the team believe that after having a house there is always a gradual change, development in the lives of people. They shared about the visit as an inspiring experience for them.

Ranjana Magar's House

Kamala Pulami's house at Jhapa

Group photo at House Dedication Ceremony

World Water Day !!!

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Habitat for Humanity Nepal in partnership with Habitat

for Humanity Australia provided access to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation to 113 ex-bonded laborer families in the Far Western Region of Nepal.

Every 2 families in the community have been provided with a tube well in their backward which enables easy access to water for the families. Due to such WASH related activities the community in Manhera are now enjoying proper hygiene facilities as they have received water and sanitation facilities. Various awareness and health trainings programs were also provided to the community to help them learn about the various healthy habits and cleaning latrines regularly.

The community members are more aware of the consequences of open defecation, use of clean and safe drinking water and regular use of latrines. This provision of adequate access to water and sanitation has led to a decline in the outbreak of various disease in the community and has made families and children healthier resulting in the reduced rate of medical expenses.

Japanese GV - KAVRE – 3 to15March, 2014

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On 3^rd March, 10 Volunteers from Japan landed on Nepal with the motive to build a shelter for Acharya family in Kavre. They worked from 5^th to 16^th March. Over 12 days, the volunteers worked hand in hand with HFHN’s partner organization Jharana Saving and Cooperative Ltd. The team built a new house made up of stone, bricks, and cement motor with tin sheets as roof.

Volunteer mixing the cement. Local Mason (right) teaching how to plaster.

The volunteers were always energetic and dedicated to the task assigned to them. During the build, they helped each other in mixing mortar, plastering and carrying the constructional tools. Along with building, the volunteers also had a very good interaction between home partners. Throughout the build, they assisted each other to build a new house for Ambika.

The volunteers were always grateful to Acharya family for their moral support, love and care.

Volunteers enjoying their work.

Ambika shared- We have been living a miserable life in rented rooms for many years. Now it’s a time to have a decent life in a decent home. Thank you HFHN and volunteers from Japan for helping us. You have gifted us the most beautiful home in the world.

Group picture-Volunteers with Acharya family Exchanging culture (Occasion: Holi Purnima)

Japanese GV Team- Pokhara 1-14 feb, 2014

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On February 1, Japanese team at Pokhara united to construct a new house for Sita Pariyar. Throughout the 14 days, the team along with Habitat for Humanity Nepal’s partner organization Shreejana Development Center worked to build a cement block house with galvanized iron sheet roof.

The volunteers helped in plastering, flooring, roofing and landscaping. They highly dedicated their time and sweat in building a shelter for Sita and her family.

The volunteers were very dedicated and hard working. Each day they would come to the site with a motive to complete a certain part of a home. They were not just building home, they were building happiness for Pariyar. Volunteers had a pleasant time covering themselves with dirt, sand.

Volunteers working on site

Sita Pariyar’s house built by Japanese team at Pokhara. Japanese ladies with Home Partner

Japanese GV Team - Kavre - Feb23 to Mar5 - 2014

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On 23^rd February 2014, fifteen volunteers from Japan and Habitat for Humanity Nepal’s partner organization-Shree Jharana saving and credit co-operative Ltd worked together to construct a cement block house for Gopini Sapkota in Kavre. Over this 11 days, they successfully built four room house for Gopini. The volunteers, most of the teenagers enjoyed constructing walls, flooring and digging mud.

Sharing love with Gopini Sapkota. Volunteer Mayu Eguchi filling gaps in blocks

The volunteers shared their experiences on the site:

I am very happy to build a shelter for Gopi’s family. I hope our team has changed her life with this new home. And we really want her family to find happiness in her life. - Shota Ozawa (Team Leader)

I am a university student. Though we had paid an amount for this experience, I don’t think that’s expensive because here we not just built a house but also created happiness among family members. I’m sure that I cannot get this similar experience in any other place or program. GV left a big effect on us. We have known Nepal and the Nepalese people. Here, we had together built a home. It was really good experience. Love Nepal!!! I hope that “A world everyone have a decent place to live” will happen very soon. Thank you so much for the experience. – Mayu Eguchi

Volunteers working on site.

I had a really good time here in Nepal. I experienced the joy of working for someone and I really want to join Habitat for Humanity activities again. -Ayuka Morimoto

Thanking for her gift (a nepali wallet) from Home Partner

I had a very good experience in Nepal through this GV build. I would love to come back to Nepal again and very soon. - Taisho Teshima

It was my first time building a house with Habiat for Humanity in Nepal. It was hard work but I really enjoyed working every day and had a wonderful experience. I want to join GV programs again. - Natsumi Suenobu

I want to join habitat program again. - Kaito Suzuki

I had a good time. This Global Village was good experience for me. - Sumire Takemura

Japanese GV Team - Pokhara - Feb23 to Mar5 - 2014

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“We had a great time during our Nepal GV. Thank you very much for all the support. Our team had great time. I would love to come back to Nepal again.” - Hiroki Shigeta.

“This GV was a great experience for me. I shall never forget visiting Nepal this spring. Nepali people are very kind and the children are cute. I love Nepal. Thank you so much.” - Orie Fumoto.

Construction of block house by volunteers

On 23^rd February, 16 volunteers from Japan worked along with HFH Nepal’s partner organization Shreejana Development Center with the aim of building a new home for Babita Pariyar and Shanti Tiwari. Over 11 days, they built two cement block houses. Team was involved in mixing mortar, plastering, carrying the blocks and water. After the build the team members were very happy to see the smiles on the family members.

Every volunteer was aware about his/her responsibilities. The team worked very well around their assigned duties. They were diligent and helpful to each other. With the teams extreme hard work, they were able to provide two new homes for the families. In addition, the families shared their love and warmth with the volunteers and were grateful for their help.

“We would like to thank HFHN and volunteers from Japan from the bottom of our heart. We are proud to have you as our house builders. Thank you for being cheerful every day.” – Shanti Tiwari (Home Partner)

Volunteers enjoying their work on the site.