International News

Three Month Update in Haiti

Posted on: 13 April 2010

Three month anniversary update

BRINGING BACK SMILES AND HOPE: Early this morning (12^th April), a group of approximately 100 gathered at the Whirlpool warehouse in McDonough, Georgia, USA, to spend their day preparing additional shelter kits to send to Haiti. Today's volunteers included groups of employees from Habitat partners, as well as individuals and Habitat staff eager to help with the Haiti effort. The American Red Cross, CARE, Delta and Home Depot were among those represented, as well as AmeriCorps and the University of Phoenix. Habitat for Humanity Haiti national director Claude Jeudy was on hand, pitching in and sharing his experiences and observations with local media. "What I see here today gives energy, motivation, to continue our work and to share with my fellow Haitians, 'You are not alone,'" he said. Speaking to volunteers assembled for a mid-morning break, he spoke about building a new Haiti. "We are here today to bring back smiles and hope to Haitian families," he said. "Because of you, we feel capable. And we are 100 percent certain we will transform this situation. Because where there is willingness, there is the possibility of transformation."

EMERGENCY SHELTER KITS: Even as the third wave of shelter kits was being assembled in McDonough, distribution of the second round of kits was poised to begin in Haiti, with assistance from the United Nations, Save the Children and ADRA. This week’s assembly will result in 13,250 more kits being shipped to Haiti, thanks to financial support from the American Red Cross and CARE.

TRANSITIONAL SOLUTIONS: Ten transitional shelters are under construction, and supplies are being gathered to begin building 1,000 T-shelters in Cabaret and Leogane, two smaller towns outside the capital of Port-au-Prince. Full-size replicas of the types of T-shelters Habitat is building are on display at the warehouse in McDonough this week and will be moved next to the Global Village & Discovery Center in Americus so visitors can better understand what is meant by “transitional shelter.” In Haiti, Habitat also is helping with another type of transitional shelter solution: assistance for families in areas not directly impacted by the Jan. 12 quake who have temporarily opened their homes to quake-affected families. This assistance, tailored to individual needs, will be offered in areas where Habitat had a presence before the earthquake.

CORE HOUSES, RESOURCE CENTERS AND REPAIRS: A core homes coordinator has been hired in Cabaret, Haiti, and will be oriented into his role to deliver the first 30 to 50 Habitat units on land allocated by the municipality. Meanwhile, Habitat is working with Architecture for Humanity to establish principles for large-scale core home settlements. A new resource center that will be central to carrying out Habitat’s recovery work has been established in Cabaret, and an office location for another Habitat Resource Center has been identified in Leogane. Habitat’s team also is gearing up for a repairs program being planned using data from damage assessments, which Habitat helped facilitate.

IN PARTNERSHIP: In working to meet its commitment to serve 50,000 families over the next five years, Habitat’s efforts in Haiti are being carried out in conjunction with numerous other nongovernmental organizations and with financial assistance from many companies and groups such as Toshiba, Cisco, CEMEX, the German government and Polish Humanitarian Action. Grant requests are pending with additional funders, and new grant applications are being submitted regularly. U.S. affiliates of Habitat for Humanity also continue to contribute generously from funds raised specifically for Haiti in their communities. Five affiliates have sent at least US$30,000 each: HFH Westchester; HFH Tulsa; Twin Cities HFH; HFH Broward County; and HFH Henderson County.

Habitat for Humanity NZ responds to Fiji. Please help us!

Posted on: 18 March 2010

Habitat calls for volunteers and launches appeal for Fiji. Habitat NZ in partnership with Habitat Fiji are together monitoring the situation very closely and have offered assistance to the Fiji Government to help with rebuilding homes after Cyclone Tomas.

Please call 0800 44 22 48 with expressions of interest to volunteer and assist in Fiji.

Alternatively, you can also fill out our online volunteer form to express your interest in assisting in Fiji.

Your gift today will help us help Fiji - please donate now. Thank you.

Damage to a house in Fiji after Cyclone Tomas tore through the country

Blue Sky Build Mongolia - June July 2010

Posted on: 24 February 2010

From 28th June to 2nd July 2010, volunteers will join families to build 30 houses in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia.

The Blue Sky Build 2010 will also celebrate ten years of Habitat building in Mongolia, a decade that has seen more than 1,500 families enjoying transformed lives thanks to their new, safe and affordable Habitat homes.

The Blue Sky Build 2010 will set the scene for the launch of the second decade with an ambitious campaign to significantly increase Habitat’s reach. The new goal is to engage volunteers and donors to support the building of 1,000 more homes in just three years, by 2012.

Everest Build Nepal - October 2010

Posted on: 24 February 2010

From the 1st to the 8th October 2010, volunteers will work alongside families to build 30 houses in Pohkara, a popular tourist destination about 200km west of the capital of Nepal.

Together with Habitat families, volunteers will be constructing houses made of treated, prefabricated bamboo panels. Other houses will be built with cement blocks which Habitat home partners help manufacture on the build site.

Habitat NZ has booked places for 150 Kiwis out of 300 international volunteer places available. Contact your local affiliate to express your interest.

Devastation in Haiti - Habitat New Zealand Responds

Posted on: 20 February 2010

Damage from the 12 January earthquake in Haiti added yet another dimension to the already-crushing humanitarian crisis and poverty conditions faced by the country. Because of the great need, Habitat for Humanity is planning an aggressive response to help low-income families get back into decent, secure housing as soon as possible. Given the scale of homes damaged and destroyed, we anticipate a multi-year response, meaning that long after the cameras have left, Habitat for Humanity will still be on the ground building houses and hope with families desperate for both.

With over 150,000 people killed and thousands of others homeless, Habitat for Humanity New Zealand has responded by offering financial assistance to Habitat Haiti to assist with recovery starter kits, cleanup assistance, establishing Habitat Resource Centres and building core houses. Please visit our website or use the coupon to make your donation.

“The situation in Haiti truly overwhelms the senses. Your eyes have a difficult time processing the destruction they are seeing. Your ears hear the clamor of tens of thousands of displaced people living on the streets or in make-shift tent cities. The smell of decay can’t be avoided. I often reflect on a quote from St.Teresa of Avila:

“Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours, yours are the eyes through which Christ’s compassion is to look out to the earth. Yours are the feet by which He is to go about doing good and yours are the hands by which He is to bless us now.”

My prayer is that each of us will find conviction in those words to work ever more diligently in building houses and hope wherever they are needed.”

– A special message from Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International

Habitat for Humanity is revving to go with its repair, renovate rebuild plans in disaster-hit countries in Asia

Posted on: 3 November 2009

* INDIA * INDONESIA * PHILIPPINES * VIETNAM * SAMOA *
Habitat for Humanity is revving to go with its repair, renovate rebuild plans in disaster-hit countries in Asia

AFTERMATH: INDONESIA EARTHQUAKES (SUMATRA, WEST JAVA) SUMATRA, INDONESIA: Habitat for Humanity Indonesia is on course to begin its first rebuilding project following the powerful earthquake which struck Sumatra at the end of September.

Click to download the pdf and read more.

What we need is your labour and love!

Posted on: 15 July 2009

The region is home to some of the poorest families in Asia. Nearly one third of the population (80 million out of 250 million) live in deplorable poverty, surviving on less than a dollar a day. So how can you fix a problem this big? Habitat for Humanity is working in the Mekong right now to provide people in need with a hand up into simple decent places to live. Habitat for Humanity is a worldwide organisation with a vision to eliminate poverty housing from the face of the earth.

So what can you do to help?

Join us in helping to build 162 homes in the Mekong this November! From November 15 to 20, Former US President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn are heading up a Habitat for Humanity house building project (JRCWP) that will involve thousands of volunteers over one week, in five countries. Teams will be building in Chiang Mai -Thailand, Hanoi - Vietnam, Phnom Penh - Cambodia, Qiong Lai-China and Vientiane - Laos. After previous Carter Work Projects around the world, Habitat's housing outcomes increased tenfold overnight. This great event is expected to kick-start the building of tens of thousands of homes for the poor in the next three to five years.

Come join us in the Mekong!

No experience is necessary to help build! This is a unique and amazing opportunity to work side by side with families making a tangible and practical difference to people's lives whilst having an incredible experience in the process. Habitat for Humanity New Zealand is sending volunteers to all five countries for the JRCWP. 100 volunteer places have been booked, and already 71 Kiwis have signed on, don't miss out! Every volunteer pays their own way. Many volunteers are choosing to extend their stay to travel in the country they are in, making it an even more rewarding trip.

Want to sign up? Click here for details and applicaiton forms!

Cyclone Nargis...now life is good, a home partner success story.

Posted on: 19 June 2009

The story of one family in need....Aung Hlaing Kone Family

Noi Moo (Mother, 31, pictured along with five younger children), Tin Tree (father, also 31, away travelling with the oldest child) live and work in the village supporting their family of 6 children. Tin Ko Ton (son, 14, not pictured), Cherry Tun (daughter, 10) Mao Bun (Male, 8) Sai Wonah Soe (male, 5), Cherry Mu, daughter, 3) and Chi Ku Ku (Son, 1). A lovely Buddhist shrine adorns the wall prominently in the living room of their new Habitat home.

During the storm, their boat, which provided their principal source of income, fishing, was lost. Now they must rent a boat at 5,000khats (USD5) for 2 week, whether they have a catch or not. A “viss” or “peiktha” (A Myanmar unit representing 1.63kg) of fish will bring in 1,500 khats (USD1.50). An average catch on a good day could be 7 viss, or nothing, fishing depends so much on weather and other factors. Mostly fish, prawns and small crabs are the catch which are either sold or traded.

Like so many remote communities, it was only for drinking from the coconuts that they were able to survive for the first week as relief food and water assistance did not arrive for some time, whilst the surrounding waters were everywhere littered with bodies and carcasses of livestock.

The family's old house was made of thatch and palm, and was completely destroyed. After the worst of the storm had passed, the thatch walls were re-tied to coconut logs to form an ersatz lean-to shelter. Later a small tarpaulin sheet was donated to provide a more impermeable, though still temporary fix against the sun and elements.

The new house is strong, well braced and raised above where flood and monsoon waters generally rise. A water catchment basin helps to retain the rain water to irrigate the fruit trees and vegetables around the house after the monsoon. The family has remained close. They feel blessed that they have been given this opportunity to begin their lives again and are all safe and together.

Generally now life is good. Currently the family are not receiving food or financial assistance though it was helpful early on after the storm. Since they lost everything in the cyclone, a household kit of blankets, cooking pot, utensils, rice, vegetables and oil helped get them back once again more securely on their feet.

Myanmar Cyclone Nargis: Recovery & Rehabilitation Housing & Community Infrastructure Project

Posted on: 16 June 2009

Myanmar has a population of about 50 million and is one of the world's least developed countries, with most families in the country living in extreme poverty and facing frequent food shortages, diminished economic opportunity, lack of critical infrastructure, poor health and rising rates of HIV and the trafficking of vulnerable women and children for domestic and sexual exploitation.

Cyclone Nargis - Loss & Damages On May 2-3, 2008

Tropical Cyclone Nargis, the worst natural disaster in Myanmar caused unprecedented destruction in the southern coast, making landfall in the heavily populated Irrawaddy delta region and the country's largest city, Yangon with reports of entire villages ‘disappearing”. · According to the UN, over 2.4 million people were severely affected, and in need of prioritized assistance. · Over 130,000 children, men and women were killed mainly due to flimsy shelters that could not withstand heavy winds or intense rain. · 36 townships were declared disaster areas with nearly half of 3,500 villages suffering extensive loss of life and property, according to one survey. · There were extensive loss of livelihood in agriculture (rice production), livestock and fisheries. According to the FAO, fisher communities “include significant numbers of poor and vulnerable people and a high proportion of people are dependent on fisheries activities and aquatic products for income and food security.” · In the project target areas, the average family size has reportedly dropped due to the heavy loss of life, particularly among children, from 5-7 persons per household pre-cyclone to 3-5 persons in its wake. · UNDP reported that wells, pipes and pumps have been destroyed and that ponds and water sources have been contaminated and recommends rehabilitation of damaged or contaminated water sources, such as tube-wells, dug-wells and ponds, in addition to support for rainwater harvesting in the delta and installation of new tube-wells and hand pumps. · Widespread concern about the threat of sexual exploitation, labour exploitation and trafficking remains. Widows and children are particularly vulnerable, without the security and stability of decent shelter or an organized community structure that can provide protection. Unconfirmed reports indicate that there may be hundreds of unaccompanied children, including infants of less than two years of age.

Partnership between Habitat & World Concern

The Housing and Community Infrastructure Project for recovery and rehabilitation is a partnership initiative between World Concern (WC) and Habitat for Humanity International (HFH).

Phase I – Emergency Relief now near completion

In Phase I, our partner World Concern (WC), took the lead in providing emergency relief and early recovery assistance to families affected by Cyclone Nargis with shelter solutions to some of the poorest families living in the Irrawaddy Delta. Habitat has provided a range of disaster response and construction technical support to empower the skilled World Concern staff.

The home partners directly engaged with WC through community meetings where they were able to choose between housing designs, and add their perspective. The meetings also highlighted the need for community participation during house construction. The community cleared the areas where the first houses were built, as well as elsewhere in the village.

Through the challenges of current economical and political environment, a total of 438 houses have been completed to date. This includes the recent construction of 158 houses in two months' time which highlights the HFH/WC Community-led Housing design piloted in the villages of Chan Thar Kone and Poulong Lay. The response project is now preparing for the distribution of roofing materials and lumber in preparation for the monsoon season. This will involve 10 villages and will benefit an additional 500 families. In addition, three solar stations were built in three different villages providing energy efficient lighting re-chargeable to communities previously in darkness. These solar stations allow families to recharge recently distributed LED lanternsto provide lighting in their new homes at a minimum cost.

Phase II – Program Transition towards Development

In Phase II of the Cyclone Response and Recovery, the program will transition from emergency relief to development, and in so doing, address disaster risk reduction in anticipation of further disasters. The overall goal of this program is to prevent further loss of life and property assisting 90,000 victims of Cyclone Nargis approximately 30,000 households to have sufficient access to food, income, water and healthcare. WC has permission from the Government of the Union of Myanmar (GUM) to implement housing initiatives in the Townships of Laputta and Bogale in the Irrawaddy Division. It is hoped that the Housing and Infrastructure Project will be able to extend work in Laputta township, a major focus of which will be building approximately 650 additional houses. Local community members will be trained in construction, masonry, carpentry and maintenance skills, empowering them, as a community. Their capacity will thereby increase to assist other families improve their own houses to better withstand storm winds and flooding. The project will also construct more safe community buildings as Disaster Shelters to serve as schools, in line with Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) principles. The particular focus in constructing Disaster Shelters in affected communities is to minimize loss of life in future storms by providing a wind and flood resilient building where community members can take Disaster Shelters during a flood or cyclone. DRR will play a central role throughout phase II and the Housing and Community Infrastructure Program, which is the Habitat specific construction sub-project. One example of this would be incorporating strong tied downs in roofing designs. In programs throughout Asia, Habitat for Humanity and World Concern are both seeking to mainstream DRR principles in programming and to initiate community-based disaster / disaster risk management programs. Initial selection of geographical areas was based on a number of factors including the percentage of the population affected, numbers of other agencies present (to avoid overlap), government prioritization, reported gaps and relation to long-term programming. Selection was made in coordination with local partners, the GUM and shelter sector cluster groups.

Project Methodology

Implementation Methodology: Due to the scale and rapid onset of the disaster and the complexities related to access, WC will maximize access to the affected population by working both directly with communities and through local partners. WC will draw on the technical capability or skills of personnel seconded from Habitat for Humanity, a partnership which has added great value during Phase I. In the field the housing initiatives have worked very well through the local church, so it is expected that this partnership will continue.

Vulnerable Groups: During Phase I, the first group of beneficiaries selected was landless people and widows. Today, there are still many vulnerable people in the 14 villages of our target area. In Phase I, WC planned for 400 homes to serve the most vulnerable. In Phase II, WC plans to continue building homes in the 14 villages of Pyin Allan and move into other village tracks where there remain more vulnerable people.

Conflict & Do No Harm: HFHI and WC are likewise committed to the principles and practices of ‘Do No Harm' and will seek to provide aid in a manner that supports peace-building and conflict resolution, and does not create further inequities. This includes use of appropriate technologies and interventions that do not unfairly elevate the standard of living of one community over neighbouring communities or parts of one community over the whole.

Environmental Sustainability: The Housing and Community Infrastructure Project endeavors to promote environmental sustainability. The response is designed to utilize local resources including the local labour, appropriate technologies for the production and procurement of locally produced goods. One example of this is using wood which was damaged in the Cyclone including coconut palms that once covered the area and now are lying on the roads and fields. In addition WC plans to incorporate a nursery to replace fallen trees.

Building Local Capacity to Manage Development: Efforts focus on building the capacity of village committees and village leadership itself, as well as the local church and local partner organizations. A major focus is also to work with and build the structural and management capacities of community-based organisations.

Lessons Learned: The construction techniques originally planned were modified with input from the local village members. The location of the entrance door was moved and the orientation of the house was also changed to allow for sea breezes.

GOAL To support the communities in Myanmar, who were impacted by Cyclone Nargis, re-establish their household, economic and social security
	OBJECTIVE	EXPECTED RESULTS (INDICATORS)
1	1. Build new homes for at least 1000 families affected by Cyclone Nargis in the Irrawaddy Division	· Selection of 1000 beneficiary families as per the set criteria and construction of 1000 houses. · At least 100 people per village trained in construction skills [including masonry, carpentry, maintenance, etc.]. · Technical Monitoring of quality of cyclone resilient houses by HFH & WC technical staff during the construction period
2	Construct of at least 2 multi-use community buildings	· At least 2 community centres constructed to provide a venue for safe gathering, school activities, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Community Training
3	Improve hygiene and sanitation for at least 1000 beneficiary families	· Building 1000 latrines together with the houses built. · Providing additional latrines and safe sanitation housing for more than 2,500 people [at an average of 2.5 per family post disaster].
4	2. Make safe drinking water available for at least 1000 beneficiary families	· 1,000 rainwater collection facilities and clay pots for harvesting rainwater · Safe drinking water sources provided for more than 2500 people

Seeking Support

One year after Cyclone Nargis violently swept through the Irrawaddy Delta leaving behind mass destruction and death, there are still much work to be done, many families remaining homeless are still in need of proper shelters and proper sanitation.

The needs are enormous, but the resources and funds are few. Every small amount of funding does makes huge difference to these unfortunate families.

For only US$2,105 per house cost, you can help transform the lives, provide hope and build new communities deprived of basic necessities many of us take for granted. This is a call for ACTION the people of Myanmar need you - demonstrate to them you care and give them hope for a better tomorrow.

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”

Malachi 3:10

Vietnam Odyssey...enriching lives!

Posted on: 16 April 2009

Experiencing Vietnam from the Ground Up - an enriching opportunity for all!

“Why would you do it? Why pay a large sum of money to go to a far flung part of Asia to work physically hard for two weeks in hot temperatures, with a group of complete strangers, when you could just write a cheque and stay at home?” These questions were put to me a week after returning from a Habitat for Humanity Global Village Team Build (3^rd – 17^th January 2009) in Rach Gia, Kien Giang Province, south-west Vietnam. It was difficult to answer the questions - how can you explain the experience of a GV team build in only a few words?

By various routes and time zones, the team members of VN09001 gathered in Ho Chi Minh City on the 2^nd January - ten New Zealanders and five Americans. Our ages ranged from 18-72 years; six members had been on other GV team builds; and a number of members hadn't any or much experience in DIY/home maintenance/construction activities. Arrival day enabled everyone to get orientated to the local area and learn how to cross the streets without fear or hesitation. The following day was a fun mix of culinary and sightseeing activities: being shown around the fresh produce section at the Ben Thanh Market by a chef from the Vietnam Cookery Centre then off to the Cookery Centre for cooking lessons and self-made lunch; a visit to the Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica; the Central Post Office; the War Remnants Museum and the Reunification Palace.

The next morning we flew to Rach Gia to meet Ngan (the Volunteer Programme Coordinator, HfH), be briefed at the Habitat Office, meet the local commune committees and the eight families we'd be working with and attend a formal welcome dinner. Our work began in earnest the next day, involving two hours travel each way to the commune using three modes of travel (bus, car/bike/ferry, longboat with outboard motor). We split into four teams and worked with four different families, doing basic construction tasks, such as cutting and straightening steel; digging foundations; breaking up rocks and bricks for fill; making, carrying and laying concrete; tamping down soil; bricklaying; putting up palm tree leaf cladding; and shifting tons of dirt.

We were spoilt with delicious morning and afternoon teas and lunches; enjoyed the families, their children and neighbours; and found language was no barrier, thanks to the college interpreters and Ngan. Although in saying this, at times the Kiwis found it difficult to understand the Americans…and vice versa. Who'd have thought American and New Zealand English could be so different and difficult to understand one another! It caused much hilarity. On the work site however, sign language reigned. You soon knew if your work wasn't up to scratch and a ‘thumbs up' for all good, was welcomed. Our week's work was completed with a presentation to the families (a gift and a photo of the group and home owners) and a formal thanks and farewell from the commune committee.

It was humbling to see such poverty – the one room dwellings, fish pond toilets, glassless windows – and heartbreaking to know families' difficulties in sending all their children to school, because of the cost of fees and books. It was thrilling to see the transformation in the homes in only a few days, as they went from a compacted dirt floor to a concrete floor; straw and mud exterior cladding to bricks or new palm tree leaves; a patch of bare earth transformed into a simple one room dwelling.

The Rest and Recreation weekend was spent at Phu Quoc, an island off the coast and tipped to be the next big tourist destination. It was a welcome break from the construction work and team members enjoyed the beach, various watery activities (swimming, toe dipping, fishing), massages, the local restaurants, some sightseeing tours and exploring the island by motor bike. It was difficult to leave. Week two worksites were a repeat of week one's activities, but with different families. We finished week two with a formal farewell at the commune and formal farewell dinner with the Habitat for Humanity staff, volunteers and interpreters. The team then flew back to Ho Chi Minh City and the team dispersed.

The whole experience was stimulating: a veritable kaleidoscope of sights, sounds and smells. All of it was memorable, including discovering the wondrous and multiple uses of duct tape (no one should leave home without it); the generosity of families having complete strangers in their homes; the team members – always ready to help one another out, source coffee and have a laugh; the superb organization, guidance and leadership of Katrina Martell, team leader and Louis Piezzo, co-team leader (amazing how they managed to track down a birthday cake in Ho Chi Minh City and karaoke in Rach Gia, for two different birthday celebrations); learning basic construction skills; learning how to lay bricks under the guidance of the home owners and supervisors; the 5.00am public announcements and curious mix of music through the loud speakers in the street; and the restorative powers of anti-inflammatories and a cold drink.

I do recommend the experience. It's good to go out of existing comfort zones; to experience another culture up close; to go to parts of a country that tourists may never get to see; to do something purposeful and very practical for families who need a hand up; to meet new, interesting people; to be physically, mentally and emotionally challenged on a daily basis; to be reminded of the abundance and blessings in our own lives - such ready access to clean water; shelter; sanitation, food, education, health services and freedom to travel outside our own countries. Traveling with a Global Village Team Build makes touring to some far flung places easier – it's all arranged; it's a comfortable option for people traveling by themselves – and its loads of fun.

As to the question put to me the week I returned – “why do it?” I can only say – “why ever not?”

Sue Dwan

Member of VN09001, from Christchurch

Millard Fuller 1935-2009

Posted on: 9 February 2009

Habitat for Humanity is deeply saddened by the death of Millard Fuller, the visionary whose ideas and tireless work created Habitat for Humanity.

Mr. Fuller led Habitat from its founding in 1976 until his separation from the organization and his founding of the Fuller Center for Housing in 2005. He died early today, Feb. 3, following a brief illness. He was 74.

“Millard Fuller was a force of nature who turned a simple idea into an international organization that has helped more than 300,000 families move from deplorable housing into simple, decent homes they helped build and can afford to buy and live in,” said Jonathan Reckford, chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity International. “The entire Habitat family mourns the loss of our founder, a true giant in the affordable housing movement. Our prayers are with the entire Fuller family.”

The idea for Habitat for Humanity was born at Koinonia Farm, a Christian farming community founded in 1942 in rural southwest Georgia to be a “demonstration plot for the Kingdom of God.” Millard and Linda Fuller made their way to that demonstration plot in 1965.

By the time Millard Fuller turned 29, he had earned his first million dollars as an entrepreneur and attorney. But as his finances flourished, his health and marriage crumbled. To save their marriage, the Fullers decided to begin anew. They sold all that they owned, gave the money to the poor and in their searching, landed at Koinonia where they began soaking up the teachings of farmer, theologian and community founder Clarence Jordan.

In time, Jordan and Fuller launched a program of “partnership housing,” building simple houses in partnership with rural neighbors who were too poor to qualify for conventional home loans. The first house was dedicated in 1969 and others soon followed. In 1973, the Fullers took the concept of partnership housing to Africa. Within a few years, simple concrete-block homes were replacing unhealthy mud-and-thatch homes … and Millard Fuller had a bold idea: If partnership housing could improve lives in Georgia and Zaire, why not the rest of the world?

In 1976, the Fullers returned to the United States and launched Habitat for Humanity International. By the organization’s 25th anniversary, tens of thousands of people were volunteering with Habitat and more than 500,000 people were living in Habitat homes.

Millard Fuller was a prolific writer, authoring 10 books. He had received more than 50 honorary degrees and in 1996 received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. In presenting the medal, President Bill Clinton said, “Millard Fuller has done as much to make the dream of homeownership a reality in our country and throughout the world as any living person.” Jack Kemp, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and former HFHI board member agreed, adding, “When I’m asked about housing success stories from our inner cities, the first group that comes to mind is Habitat for Humanity.”

Among numerous other awards, Fuller was named to the National Housing Hall of Fame and had received the World Changer Award, the World Methodist Peace Award, the Norman Vincent Peale Award, the John W. Gardner Leadership Award and the Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award.

“Millard Fuller’s drive and relentless commitment to affordable housing captured people’s imagination and changed lives around the world,” said J. Ronald Terwilliger, chair of Habitat for Humanity’s International Board of Directors. “His inspiration lives on in Habitat’s work and through its employees, volunteers, partner families and supporters. We extend our sincere condolences to the Fuller family and are keeping them in our thoughts and prayers.”

Habitat helps Fiji rebuild shelter in wake of floods...

Posted on: 20 January 2009

Tropical storms that lashed Fiji last week caused major flooding, resulting in over 6,000 people being forced into emergency shelters.An urgent need for shelter has seen Habitat for Humanity Fiji seeking funds to assist impacted families to replace or repair their damaged homes as well as taking other measures to prevent hurricane damage to homes in the future.

Funds* are needed urgently to help with materials for both repairing existing homes and building new homes and Habitat for Humanity NZ (HFHNZ) is assisting their Fijian counterparts by raising money here in New Zealand.

“Habitat for Humanity Fiji is mobilising resources to rebuild and repair homes that have been damaged or destroyed in these recent devastating floods.They also will build 5 new homes and upgrade another 5 homes with basic hurricane proofing measures to make them more resilient to an impending disaster” said Ken Stevenson, HFHNZ and HFH Fiji board member.

HFH Fiji will be working closely with families, teaching them how to build and repair homes for disaster recovery and prevention.It is hoped these families will then have the technical know-how to assist other families during any future disasters that may occur.

Habitat for Humanity has been operating in Fiji since 1991 and has concentrated on providing sound housing to over 650 families to a country frequently hit by extreme weather.A typical house built by HFH in Fiji is now made of concrete, wooden or tin walls on an elevated foundation height of about 3 feet to avoid floods.It is hoped by building more of these houses with these height specifications and other hurricane proofing measures that fewer Fijian families will be displaced from their homes in times of natural disaster.