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They will build 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’.
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 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 follows 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.
