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Building Houses Building Homes, Building Hope. LEARNING, ESTABLISHING RELATIONS, SHARING and EXPERIENCING OTHER CULTURES THROUGH the GLOBAL VILLAGE PROGRAMME

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Building Houses Building Homes, Building Hope. LEARNING, ESTABLISHING RELATIONS, SHARING and EXPERIENCING OTHER CULTURES THROUGH the GLOBAL VILLAGE PROGRAMME Building Houses Building Homes, Building Hope. LEARNING, ESTABLISHING RELATIONS, SHARING AND EXPERIENCING OTHER CULTURES THROUGH THE GLOBAL VILLAGE PROGRAMME December, 2009. he Habitat for Humanity Global Village (GV) program is a short-term house-building trip that provides a hands-on opportunity for volunteers to get involved with Habitat's work. In partnership with local affiliates, volunteers work Talongside partner families and local volunteers to build a true 'global village' of love, homes, families, communities and hope. The GV program offers volunteers the opportunity to travel with a purpose and to experience the culture of the people in the various affiliates all over the country. Volunteers from all walks of life coming together for a good cause; whether participants know themselves prior to the trip or not, after living and spending time together, they become one big family. Its more than just building houses, it's about building friendships, gaining firsthand knowledge about the work of Habitat and an opportunity to be part of the Habitat mission while seeing the tangible results of their labour. This year Ghana hosted 19 teams, totaling 303 volunteers, and an estimated volunteer hours of 7,689.5 while donating funds to support the program. Fresh Fields Volunteers at the Nkwantakese site The De Jonge group on a visit to a potential homeowner's house The De Jonge group after a football match Nkabom Adwuma team after a hard day’s work With some community members 1 MOVING INTO A HABITAT THE MORE DUST THERE WAS, THE MORE FUN WE WERE HOUSE CHANGED MY LIFE. HAVING Take it from a Global Village participant was living in Kunsu Wiuso in the went on my sixth trip with the Global Village program of Habitat for Ahafo-Ano District in the Ashanti Humanity, this time to Bolgatanga (called Bolga) in the Upper East Region IRegion. One day, my parents told me they had acquired a Habitat house at Iin the far north of Ghana. In important respects it was the most exciting GV Nkwantakese (Ashanti region), we had to trip I've taken and one of the most interesting things I've ever done. “Rustic” was the word move to our new home without delay in 2003. I was happy because, we were going our team leaders used to make sure we were prepared for the conditions. We lived in to have our own house. homes built by Habitat, without running water or electricity, and the high temperatures. Ever since we moved into the Habitat But the work was fine and the cultural aspects were absolutely amazing. house, there have been tremendous Having been on several trips, I've noticed several factors that play a role in how changes in my life and that of my parents. memorable a trip is overall: the extent to which the work is inherently interesting and how We now have our own toilet, kitchen and much we get accomplished; the relationship with homeowners, workers and other local bathroom, and these have given us our people; free time activities and the amount of time away from work that we get to spend privacy. This is because we were having one public toilet for the whole compound with our hosts; whether the group is congenial and hard-working; whether the location is which was very horrible. The most “interesting;” and, in general, whether the whole experience is pleasurable (whether it's inconvenience was that all tenants were sharing one kitchen which made cooking “fun”). On this trip, the cohesiveness and fun-loving nature of the group was a particular dangerous. plus. The cultural aspects were absolutely unique. It was a fine trip. Also theft cases (e.g. Stealing of my Is it really worth the time, effort and carbon impact of a group of international mother's salt, vegetables, charcoal and utensils) have all seized since we volunteers going to a very remote location to work seven or eight days on a few houses? moved into our Habitat home. There's a parable that Habitat I have peace, this is because conflicts and petty fights amongst adults and uses to address these questions: children is now a thing of the past. A boy (could have been a girl) Furthermore, the healthy environment was walking along a beach which was at Habitat community is one thing that littered with hundreds of starfish washed makes me happy, there is no pollution, in by the tide. As he came to a starfish, he bent over, picked it up and threw it into so everything in the community makes the water. me happy as a child. And I am living comfortably with my parents. A man came along and asked what he was doing. The boy responded In addition to that, there is a nice that, if he didn't do that, the starfish community library where I normally Would die. go to study; something I have never seen before . The man replied: "But there are hundreds and hundreds of starfish. I feel very privileged to be one of the You can't possibly save them all. You're Jim with some members of the Ghana children being brought up in such a wasting your time. What you're doing GV Team at the Tindomsobligu work site doesn't make any difference.” community, I am grateful to God, my parents and Habitat for Humanity In response, the boy bent over, picked Ghana for the hard work they are up another starfish and threw it far into doing. the water. He looked at the man and said "Made a big difference to that one." And he headed up the beach. The world is a difficult place to change. By Amponsah Ayirebi Elizabeth Maybe saving one starfish at a time is all that most of us can hope to accomplish. But all of us who want a better world can at least do that -- saving a starfish when we get the opportunity. Jim Douglas at a crocodile Jim Douglas (Ghana GV Team member) pond at Paga 2 THE CONTRIBUTION OF slogan which goes “habitat oye!”, meaning good things always come from Habitat. HABITAT TO IMPROVING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE IN MY In conclusion I want to emphasize that COMMUNITY Habitat for Humanity does not only build but improves the lives of the people and helps to exhibit their self potential to build a abitat for Humanity Ghana is truly community of united people living in a in the development of deprived peaceful environment. Hcommunities. Including my own community where i live with my parents. Habitat for Humanity Ghana (HFHG) has The Roman Ridge School Campus Chapter brought many changes to the lives of at the Birim Agya Affiliate people in such communities. I believe Etuah-Jackson Theophilus there are hundreds of people who have Armed Forces Senior High Technical benefitted and thousands more about to School have this fair share of the Habitat “cake”. Post Office Box 12863 In the end, we have more youth getting involved outside school helping to build Habitat for Humanity Ghana builds houses simple, decent homes, thereby reducing for low income earners, they provide the number of people living in modest buildings for beneficiaries. Since STUDENTS, HELP END substandard housing. their aim is towards helping low income POVERTY HOUSING. families the cost of construction of houses A group of about 20 students and teachers is low and payments made over a period of from the Lincoln Community School time. This has helped many families to get helped with a build in Adadientem, just access to decent homes which has outside of Kibi. Lincoln students go on a transformed my community. half dozen trips per year and also arrange a trip once a year for students from other We moved into our habitat house recently, c o u n t r i e s . the house is big enough to accommodate my family and I. The Habitat community is quite big with a number of houses occupied by families from various backgrounds, the buildings come in various types and sizes depending on the interest of the homeowner and built in “non-isolated styles” this ensures security. People in my new community feel very safe and secured. We seldom experience crime as compared to my former residence and there is a peaceful atmosphere at my Lincoln Community School Students helping at the new home. Nkwantakese Affiliate. The president of student chapter of HFH at the Lincoln Community School fills up a Wells have been provided for my new wheelbarrow with soil in order to community, access to portable water had fill in the foundation of a house. been a major problem, we had to walk ampus Chapters are student-run, miles in search of water, but with the help student-led organization that of Habitat, this is no more a problem and Cperforms four main functions; we also get water for domestic use as well building with local affiliates, educating as to irrigate our farms. their high school or campus and local community about the work of Habitat, Habitat has indeed given the youth in my Advocating on behalf of those in need of community an opportunity to acquire new decent shelter and raising funds to support jobs. Not long ago some of the youth in my the cause of Habitat for Humanity. community were struggling to get jobs but now some are gainfully employed in the Some benefits of forming Campus Habitat community as masons, carpenters Chapters to the school or college are: and borehole drillers (man power) and they • Excellent public relations for the are happy to earn decent income.
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