Rebuilding India Habitat For Humanity India Quarterly Newsletter YEAR ONE October – December 2015 ISSUE ONE Editorial Habitat for Humanity India’s (HFH India) driving We hope to keep you abreast of our activities CREDITS philosophy is to provide housing-related through this newsletter. We want you to be part interventions to low-income marginalized families of the change that we aim to make in India – you Editorial Team: Rajan Samuel across India. Since our founding in 1983, HFH can support our work by engaging as a Ritwik Sawant India has helped more than 1,00,000 families, a volunteer or contribute to a project to make a Apoorva Poojary milestone that is shaping our vision of impacting difference to 74 million families living in poverty 5,00,000 families by 2020. housing in India. You are welcome to make Copyright: suggestions to improve content and feel of this Habitat for Humanity India However, the need for adequate and affordable newsletter by writing to us at Cover Photo: housing continues to grow. In our endeavor to [email protected]. Ezra Millstein support the Government of India’s vision of ‘Housing for All by 2022’ and the ‘Swachh Best Regards, Bharat Mission’ to end open defecation in India by 2019, Habitat for Humanity India aims to align Rajan Samuel, with its goals in spirit and action. Managing Director Habitat for Humanity India Asia Pacific Housing Forum 5 “To bring dignity and hope to all we believe that none of us can live with dignity until everyone lives with dignity. ” Mrs. Sheila Kriplani, Chairperson, Habitat for Humanity India 87 572 20 speakers delegates home partners The Asia-Pacific Housing Forum (APHF), a biennial said, “To bring dignity and hope to all we believe to lend her support to Habitat’s Youth Builds conference organized by Habitat for Humanity, that none of us can live with dignity until across India. was held in Delhi (Gurgaon) on 3 and 4 everyone lives with dignity.” September, 2015. APHF5 also saw the launch of an insurance Dr. Nandita Chatterjee - Secretary, Ministry of scheme for disaster affected families. Five such The India chapter of the fifth forum saw key Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, shared scheme policies were handed over by Vivek stakeholders, policy makers, leaders and the Government of India’s efforts towards housing Oberoi to women from Villupuram (Tamil Nadu) at advocates of affordable housing and sanitation; for all and highlighted the fact that nearly 20 the forum. all come together under one roof. They discussed million houses are required in urban India whereas and exchanged ideas, experiences, intervention rural India needs 30 million houses if we were to 87 speakers graced the event with their models on affordable housing, proper sanitation achieve the Government’s mandate of ‘Housing participation and 572 delegates registered for and sought market solutions and technology for all by 2022’. the forum. More than 20 home partners of solutions towards achieving housing for all and an Habitat for Humanity India from open defecation free India. It was a privilege to The demand for ‘Housing for all’ and ‘Total Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Uttarakhand have Mr, Chaudhary Birender Singh – Hon. Sanitation Coverage in India’ was also echoed and Delhi NCR came to Delhi for APHF5. APHF5 Union Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati by renowned Bollywood celebrities, Vivek was indeed a national platform where a large Raj, Drinking Water and Sanitation, come and Oberoi and Evelyn Sharma at the forum. Vivek number of people rallying for the cause of share his thoughts on rural and urban housing, Oberoi pledged to build 1,00,000 sanitation affordable housing and sanitation for all came land acquisition and role of corporates in units across the country in partnership with HFH together to dialogue, deliberate and dream. ensuring housing for all. Setting the sentiment India while Evelyn Sharma, promoting Habitat for Humanity India is committed to realize behind APHF5 was Mrs. Sheila Kriplani, volunteerism and involvement of youth in the the dream of a better India where everyone has Chairperson, Habitat for Humanity India who construction of houses for the poor, committed a decent place to live with dignity. Habitat for Humanity Celebrates World Habitat Day The United Nations observes the 1st Monday of have transformed the dumping ground into a A total of 945 people every October as ‘World Habitat Day’ to reflect clean and environment friendly public space. on the state of our towns and cities and on the Children, youth, men, women and the elderly came together with basic right of all to adequate shelter. Habitat for now use the park for recreational activities. The Habitat for Humanity Humanity India (HFH India) celebrated the World saplings and trees planted by HFH India with the Habitat Day on 5th October, 2015 in Mumbai, children and young leaders from the community India to celebrate this Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai with great have added to the beauty of the park. Chennai enthusiasm. The Mumbai Program Implementation PIO celebrated the day at the Government momentous day. Office (PIO) celebrated the day in the warm Higher Secondary School, Kalyampundi by company of 110 students and teachers of organizing a painting competition for the Dnyansadhana High School in Manori students. The team also conducted a session on conducting a ‘staff build 2016’ in the school. the importance and impact of ‘Safe and Decent They even organised a painting and a rangoli Homes.’ The coastal town of Karwar in competition for the students and staff. Karnataka celebrated World Habitat Day in collaboration with Karwar Diocese The New Delhi PIO joined hands with the Development Centre (KDDC) at Mudgeri village. children of Chetanalaya non-formal centres and the youth from Savda Ghevra region to conduct A total of 945 people came together with a tree plantation drive in the local community Habitat for Humanity India to celebrate this park. The efforts of few environmental heroes momentous day. World Cities Day HFH India and World Vision India in initiatives, HFH India strives to educate collaboration with UN-HABITAT organized maximum children in school to make India an event commemorating World Cities Open Defecation Free by 2019 in alignment Day on 30th of October, 2015 in Delhi. with the Government of India’s Swachh A painting competition followed by an Bharath Abhiyan. exhibition for schools was organized in Delhi NCR with the aim of raising The event was graced by Mr. Justin awareness about homelessness, lack of Jebakumar (Director – Delhi PIO, Habitat for sanitation facilities and poverty housing. It Humanity India), Dr. Harbans Gill, Executive also addressed the theme ‘Inclusive Director, HUDCO and Mr. Sweeharan, Children Friendly Cities’. With these Strategic Alliance, World Vision India. World Toilet Day Toilets are a serious business in India, with An exclusive twitter chat with Bollywood hands of the young and we can make a over 60.4% of the population still without actor and celebrity Mr. Purab Kohli gave a difference”, said Purab Kohli and urged everyone access to sanitation. Poor sanitation increases boost to our campaign. “The future lies in the to take a positive action to end open defecation. the risk of disease and malnutrition, especially for women and children. Women and girls risk rape and abuse, because they have no toilet that offers privacy. HFH India celebrated a week long campaign titled ‘#don’tcontribute to open defecation’ on the occasion of World Toilet Day (19th November 2015) from 13th November to 21st November, 2015. The motive of this campaign was to create and spread awareness about the sanitation problem in the country. This campaign chose multiple platforms to reach a large number of people. Hundreds of people joined the campaign on social media and took a pledge to make India open defecation free. “The future lies in the hands of the young and we can make a difference.” Purab Kohli, Bollywood actor and celebrity Habitat Young Leaders Build 2016 Habitat for Humanity Young Leaders Build decent homes as a way out of poverty. Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. (HYLB) 2016 was launched on United Nations International Volunteers Day - 5th The Young Leaders Build campaign will The past year’s campaign, then known as December, 2015 - marking the celebration reach its peak on 2 April 2016, when ‘Habitat Youth Build’, brought together over of volunteerism. One of the largest youth hundreds of thousands of young people will 669,000 volunteers and participants from movements in the Asia-Pacific region, HYLB take part in simultaneous house builds across 15 countries and one SAR in the Asia-Pacific has been taking place for last five years India or will lend their support to HFH India region, to help over 13,000 families begin focusing on tackling the challenges of via social network. Awareness and their journey to secure safe, decent homes. poverty housing. fundraising activities are taking place in 15 Volunteers worked on 9,498 houses, and countries and one Special Administrative raised INR 3,73,58,320 towards programs This youth-driven campaign expects to rally Region (SAR), including Australia, to alleviate poverty housing. more than one million youth, celebrities and Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Hong corporate participants in India to volunteer, Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, fundraise and speak out for the need for Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, In 2015 Volunteers worked on 9,498 houses, and raised INR 3,73,58,320 towards programs to alleviate poverty housing. Partnership with IIT Mumbai’s Mood Indigo Festival Habitat for Humanity India officially open defecation in India. sight of the pot out in the open, students partnered with Mood Indigo 2015; the happily participated in the activity and even annual cultural festival of Indian Institute of The biggest barrier in eliminating open contributed towards Habitat for Humanity’s Technology, Mumbai.