Habitat for Humanity Australia: Great Aussie Charities You’ve Never Heard Of…
Its National Volunteer Week! We talked to the Aussies volunteering to build homes for over 13 million people worldwide and learned how powerful & rewarding this experience can be... But that’s not all!
‘At Habitat for Humanity Australia, we believe a decent home provides much more than bricks and mortar. A home gives families the opportunity to be healthier, happier and more secure, and leads to stronger communities that can grow and sustain themselves.’
Why is this a problem?
Families in need of affordable housing live everywhere: small towns and villages, sprawling cities, your community. Housing need presents itself wherever people live and work, and it takes many forms and has far-reaching effects.
Across the globe, urban populations have increased rapidly, often outstripping available housing. A century ago, one out of every five people lived in urban areas; now, for the first time in human history, more than half of us do. In these circumstances — and in many others brought about by various policies, laws and systems — one of the biggest obstacles to a world where everyone has a decent and affordable place to live can be access to land for shelter in the first place.
In response to the ever-growing need for shelter in your community and around the world, Habitat works in many ways: new construction, repairs to existing homes, small loans for incremental building and home improvements, help establishing title and ownership to land, advocacy for better laws and systems, disaster prevention and recovery, and more.
Where did it all begin?
Habitat for Humanity Australia is part of Habitat for Humanity, an international not-for- profit which originated in Georgia, United States in 1976. Habitat for Humanity began as a grassroots effort. The housing organisation has since grown to become a leading global non-profit working in more than 70 countries. Worldwide, Habitat has helped more than 13.2 million people obtain safe and decent housing, along with the strength, stability and independence to build better lives.
Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families build a better tomorrow, today. Through shelter, we empower.
A day in the life at Habitat for Humanity Australia
We are a small, passionate and busy office. Our teams work on a variety of tasks each day, from preparing volunteers for an overseas house build; meeting our amazing corporate partners or individual supporters to discuss ways we can truly make a difference; to organising large-scale events such as our upcoming Gala dinner.
It is fast-paced, especially in times of natural disaster, where our response is dependent on all of us working together, to raise as much funds as possible in order to deliver what is needed to as many families as we can.
Impact Story:
The long-lasting benefits of a home were evident during a recent visit to Nuwakot, Nepal by Habitat for Humanity staff member, Dan.
“In April I visited a remote community to help in the construction of two buildings that will serve as refuges during disasters. Many of the families there were affected by the 2015 earthquakes and had lost loved ones, their livelihoods, and in some cases — all hope.
Due to the remoteness and difficult terrain in the hills of Nuwakot, many had still not received assistance after 3 years.
One family’s story really struck a chord with me. I was fortunate enough to meet four generations of the beautiful Khati family. Mother, Gona and father Arjun lived with a 12 year old son, Manish and 22 year old daughter Sabita. Gona and Arjun’s elderly parents also lived under the same roof, and Sabita had just a month earlier, given birth to a gorgeous baby girl.
The Khati family’s home was destroyed by the earthquake and it’s only very recently they have received a new home through the support of people like you. Habitat was able to provide technical supervision, training in construction and how to build their home to last, and a donation of 50,000 rupees, or $5,000 Australian dollars.
As great as a new home has been for them to be safe in the short-term, it has its limitations. They opted to receive a stone and mud home. If more support is received they can upgrade to a brick and mortar home that will keep them safe in the long-term and in the face of inevitable disasters.
As a father of two young boys, what inspires me to help the families I meet is just how similar they are to mine. While we enjoy the material comforts that come with living in a country like Australia, the bonds that tie a family together are universal. Mother Gona says that her son Manish ‘is at the age where he wants to do everything on his own. He doesn’t listen to me!’, I can definitely relate to this!
When asked about school and his hope for the future, Manish said “I enjoy school and like to read and play. I haven’t really thought about what I want to be when I grow up, but I guess I’ll know when I get old. Maybe I could be a doctor to help support Mum and Dad.”
Daughter Sabita is glowing after the birth of her first child. In Nepal, it is a ritual that a new mother returns to the family home for the first two months so the wider family can care for the child. It was just beautiful to see, and heart-warming to know that thanks to our supporters the child can be cared for under the safety of a strong, safe roof.
The parent’s hopes for the future are not unlike any parent, anywhere. “We have many expectations, but don’t know whether to hang onto them or not. I hope for a good future for our children and that they stay on the correct path and right track.” Father Arjun says a new home is the first step to getting his family on the right track. “Our home is a great progress in our life and will put us on track. If we can build a better home, I will be a good father to our children, who can pass that on to our grandchildren.”
The hardest thing about meeting our partner families is leaving, and not knowing how their futures will pan out. I would love to return to them one day knowing that the generous support of Australian’s like you led them to a happier, healthier future. I hope we can count on you to help provide the home they wish for, which will in turn lead to Manish fulfilling his dream of becoming a doctor. Getting him to listen to his mother may be a different story…”
What do you do with your donations?
With the help of our generous supporters, in the last financial year Habitat for Humanity Australia impacted over 22,000 people in need. This includes building and repairing 258 homes overseas, and training over 1,300 people in safe construction. We have also built 355 toilets and improved access to water for 8,585 people.
Any events or volunteer opportunities coming up?
Our Gala Dinner is on May 10 at 6pm at Parliament House, Sydney. It is our largest fundraising event of the year where we will be celebrating transforming lives through volunteering and beyond.
We also send teams of Australian volunteers overseas to make a tangible difference with their own two hands. In just a week, our volunteers (individuals, school students and corporates) can build a home for family in need. This is an incredibly rewarding and emotional way to see the impact of your support.
Are you tax dedutible? Yes
More information, including a list of upcoming opportunities can be found on the Habitat for Humanity’s volunteer website: www.habitat.org.au/volunteer
Stay up to date on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HabitatForHumanityAustralia
