Macedonia Global Village Volunteer Handbook
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Macedonia Global Village volunteer handbook home construction green building vulnerable populations Global Village volunteer handbook Welcome to Habitat for Humanity Driven by the vision that everyone needs a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity help build their own homes alongside began in 1976 as a grassroots effort on a volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. community farm in southern Georgia. The Through financial support, volunteering or Christian housing organization has since grown adding a voice to support affordable housing, to become a leading global nonprofit working in everyone can help families achieve the more than 1,300 communities throughout the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to U.S. and in more than 70 countries. Families build better lives for themselves. and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a About Habitat Macedonia Habitat for Humanity Macedonia is a housing organization dedicated to providing simple, decent and aff ordable housing solutions for low income families living in substandard conditions. Habitat for Humanity Macedonia’s activities include building and financing homes, advocacy, strengthening capacities and developing communities. As an affi liate of Habitat for Humanity International since 2004, Habitat for Humanity Macedonia has supported more than 2,784 families in housing improvement and 2,801 in housing support services, contributing to the 500,000 partner families worldwide. For more information www.habitat.org.mk Global Village volunteer handbook Global Village builds — Macedonia With the support of the residents and local the completion of four buildings and a total of government, the city of Veles was selected as 24 apartments. The buildings have three floors the New Builds site after it was identified by and the apartments are from 49m2 to 79 m2. Habitat for Humanity Macedonia as a The settlement was built with the assistance of community in high need. The target group of volunteer’s teams from all over the world, this project is low-income families, young working alongside homeowners and their future couples with children and young couples who neighbours. The second phase started in are living in substandard conditions in Veles, springtime of 2013 and will provide a decent without access to simple, decent and affordable and affordable home for 12 more families in housing. The New Builds Veles program began need. in 2009 and the first phase ended in 2011, with Global Village volunteer handbook Housing Needs in Macedonia The Republic of Macedonia is a small, landlocked country with population of 2 million. The region troubled by interethnic conflicts during the past years. A result of this is a weak economy, poorly maintained infrastructure, and impoverished people. Macedonia is also challenged by integration into European and international structures Macedonia has four times higher household energy consumption per capita than developed countries. At least 70% of the existing housing stock in the apartment buildings is estimated to be energy inefficient. About 15% of the total population in Macedonia lives in illegal homes Up to three-quarter of Macedonians today live in apartment blocks built during the period of centrally planned economy As much as 78% of the entire housing stock in the country was created during the mass-urbanization period (1946 - 1989) Substandard housing conditions, including poor quality and unsafe constructions, are still widespread About 110,000 homes (16% of the existing housing stock) need immediate reconstruction There is a number of overcrowded homes among certain communities, with below the average of dwelling area per family member Global Village volunteer handbook About The Project NEW BUILDS VELES New Builds Veles program began in 2009, with The new project in Veles is scheduled to start in the support of the Government of the Republic the springtime, 2017 and it will take place in the of Macedonia, the Municipality of Veles and the very neighborhood of the existing buildings of local residents. The first phase ended in 2011, New Builds Veles. It is considered as the third with the completion of four buildings and a total phase of the same project. New building size will of 24 new apartments. Buildings are three be 20x14 m, three floors high, up to 10, 2 m. It floors high and the apartments are from 49 m² should be very similar to the Habitat buildings to 79 m². The settlement was built with the from the previous project. The gross area of the assistance of volunteer teams from all over the building will be approximately 900 m² maximum. world, working alongside homeowners and There should be 12 apartments with average their future neighbours. The target groups in size of 60 m². The construction will take place this project were low - income families, young from its basis and there will be, again, some couples with children and young couples living assistance from the homeowners, their future in substandard conditions. neighbours and domestic volunteers. What was considered as a second phase of the Types of work that volunteers might do: project, started spring 2013 and it’s scheduled Transport of construction materials; Excavation to finish during 2017. The building size is 20x14 and cleaning of the building site; Preparation of m, three floors high, up to 10,2 m. It is very rebars; Assembling of rebars; Preparation of similar to the Habitat buildings from the forms; Assembling of forms; Disassembly of previous project. The gross area of the building forms; Cleaning of forms; Concrete preparation; is approximately 900 m². There are 12 Filling forms with concrete; Filling “fert” beams apartments with average size of 60 m². The with concrete; Assembling of “monta – fert” floor construction took place from the foundations to construction; Preparation of trusses; Preparation the roof through building walls, windows and of glue; Massonry; Wall covering with glue, wire doors installation, plumbing and wiring and all mash and hard finishing; Painting; Assistance other necessary phases of construction, all of with assembling of electricity, plumbing and this with assistance of the future homeowners sewage elements. and generous help from international and local volunteers. Global Village volunteer handbook About The Trip – Before You Leave IMMUNIZATIONS AND HEALTH ATTIRE ON THE BUILD SITE REMINDERS • Dress appropriately: Pack the appropriate clothing and footwear before leaving home. Contact your doctor or visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at • Many tasks will involve concrete, cdc.gov/travel for traveler’s health unfinished wood, reinforcement bars. You information, recommended preparations and should have at least one pair of trousers vaccinations. and a long-sleeved shirt for those tasks. • Work shoes should have a sole hard enough to resist punctures from nails, PACKING SUGGESTIONS wires and cut ends of rebar. Athletic shoes do not offer sufficient protection. We advise you to travel light and bring only • Necklaces, rings and bracelets tend to get what is necessary for the trip. caught on things and have led to some gruesome injuries. If you must keep your wedding ring on while on site, please cover ELECTRICITY it with tape. Electricity in Macedonia is 220V at a 50Hz • We will provide hardhats whenever we frequency. If you are plugging in an appliance can; however, the ones available for sale that was built for 220-volt electrical input or an in Macedonia are not of a very good appliance that is compatible with multiple quality. We would appreciate it very much voltages (read the small print on your if you would bring your own. charger), then an adapter is all you need. • Safety glasses will be required during Here’s some additional info on electricity in many jobs, since those jobs present eye Macedonia: hazards from sharp wires or rebar, https://www.power-plugs-sockets.com/us/Macedonia. splattering concrete, power tools and so forth. Again, it would be greatly appreciated if you can bring ANSI-rated safety glasses from home. • Whether working with bricks, blocks, concrete or unfinished form boards, you could easily go through a pair of good work gloves each week on our sites. Global Village volunteer handbook About The Trip – Upon Arrival . AT THE AIRPORT CURRENCY The team will fly into Skopje International Macedonian currency is the DENAR. There Airport (SKP). Once team members have are coins of 1, 2, 5, 10 and 50 Denars and passed through customs, they need to go notes of 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000, and 2000 through to the public waiting area where they Denars. In larger cities, it is common to find will be met by your team leader. Once the ATM machines and all major credit cards team has arrived, the team will travel to their will usually be accepted. However, in the hotel. smaller cities and villages, often you will only be able to use cash. Money can be exchanged at hotels, banks, and exchange offices. All major credit cards are accepted, TIME ZONE such as American Express, Visa, Diners Club, MasterCard, and Eurocard. Traveler’s Macedonia is in the Central European Time checks can be exchanged in any major zone (UTC+1). Macedonia observes Central bank. Bank post offices are open between European Summer Time (UTC+2). 7 am and 7 pm during the week and Macedonia is 6 hours ahead of US Eastern between 7 am and 1 pm on Saturdays. Standard Time. If it’s too much to remember, just use this clock: The exchange rate is approximately $1 = https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/repu 41 denars and 1 euro = 61.5 denars however rates can vary. blic-of-macedonia/skopje. WEATHER The climate in Macedonia varies. The mildly continental climate covers most of the country. The summers are usually hot and dry, with average temperatures of 30° to 38°C, but it can reach over 40°C.