14th December 2011: News | Disaster Response | Others
	Habitat helps over 81,000 low-income families in 2011 Habitat for Humanity has surpassed its 2010 record by helping 81,399 families into safe, decent and affordable homes during the fiscal year ended 30th June 2011. Habitat served 74,960 families in the previous fiscal year. Habitat also helped more than 6,000 families establish legal rights to a house or land and provided more than 157,000 individuals with technical assistance including legal help, training in financial literacy, and construction-related advice and training. Get a snapshot of Habitat’s work around the world in the latest annual report (3 MB). The Asia-Pacific region was responsible for more than one quarter of the 81,399 figure; in the past financial year alone, Habitat assisted 22,600 families to build, rehabilitate or repair their houses in the region.
	News Home for Christmas The Seo family, HFH Korea’s 2,000th family (center), at the dedication ceremony. In the Asia-Pacific region and around the world, Habitat for Humanity is proud to celebrate with families who deserve a decent place to live. Korea: Habitat for Humanity Korea celebrated the 2,000th house the organization has built in a dedication ceremony earlier this month. The Seo family, who will be living in the 2,000th house, are based in Yangpyong, Gyeonggi province, about an hour’s ride east of Seoul. After his small business folded in 2009, Myeongkwan Seo, 34, could not afford to rent anymore and lived with a friend while his wife and two young children stayed with a relative. The Seo family can look to a new life together in a decent house. Habitat started in South Korea nearly two decades ago and dedicated its 1,000th house in Paju, Gyeonggi in 2008. New Zealand: Habitat for Humanity New Zealand yesterday dedicated what is believed to be the first Habitat house to be built inside a prison. The four-bedroom house was lifted by sections over the fence of the prison last month and transported to Hastings city. Habitat volunteers worked with the Hungahunga family in painting, cladding, lining, fencing and landscaping. The family of five will be moving their furniture into their new home before the weekend. Sharne Hungahunga said: “The house looks wonderful. We just can’t wait to move in and spend our first Christmas in our new home.” One of the prison inmates who helped to build the house concluded that “this experience has been awesome”. The Hungahungas’ house is the eleventh built by the Habitat for Humanity Central North Island affiliate. US$2.3 million EU grant for Fiji The European Union has agreed to provide Habitat for Humanity Fiji with US$2.3 million in funding over a three-year period. The funds will allow HFH Fiji to focus more of its assistance on Indo-Fijian families, as well as lower income families in western Viti Levu, and on Vanua Levu. The project will cover new homes, renovations, hurricane proofing existing structures, improvements to community evacuation centers and community water projects. [ Back to top ] Disaster Response Funding boost for Japan earthquake response Momoko Kimura (right) having tea with friends at a temporary shelter in Onagawa. Habitat for Humanity Japan has received approval of a grant from Japan Platform to rehabilitate up to 100 houses in earthquake-affected Ofunato city in Iwate prefecture. The 54-million-yen (US$672,000) funding will also provide housing-related consultations for up to 2,000 households in the same area. Japan Platform is an international emergency humanitarian aid organization made up of a consortium of 32 Japanese NGOs, the business community, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. To date, Habitat has repaired 54 houses for survivors of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami which hit the northeastern coast of the country. In November, Habitat volunteers distributed 278 mattress sets with bedding to survivors living in 144 temporary shelters. The distribution took place in Onagawa, Miyagi prefecture, one of the worst-affected areas. Momoko Kimura, 83, watched Habitat volunteers at work and said: “I am very grateful to all the volunteers who helped me get my life back. I am so moved by these young students who are spending their precious time to get the temporary shelters ready for us.” Flood response in the Asia-Pacific region Habitat for Humanity continues to help flood-affected families in several Asia-Pacific countries even as the media spotlight dims. In each country, Habitat’s main response starts with distributing various types of kits. These may be shelter kits, which typically include tools and household items to repair homes, or clean-up kits to clean homes of mud and other waste carried by floodwaters. Clean-up kits contain items like chlorine powder and other disinfectants, along with brushes, brooms, gloves and buckets. Hygiene or care kits including soap and mosquito repellent may also be distributed. Efforts underway include: Cambodia: Over yesterday and today, Habitat for Humanity Cambodia distributed the first batch of shelter repair kits and personal hygiene kits to 490 flood-affected families in Pouk and Angkor Chum districts in Siem Reap province. About 1,000 families are expected to be helped in Siem Reap and Kandal provinces. Philippines: JP Morgan partnered with Habitat for Humanity Philippines to distribute 400 shelter repair kits to families in Baseco, a former dockyard in Metro Manila, who were affected by Typhoon Nesat (local name: Pedring). The kits contained materials such as flexiboards, galvanized iron sheets and nails. Constantino Nacua, a 49-year-old construction worker, was among families who received help. He said: “When the typhoon struck us, the hard life we have doubled. Our roof was blown away. Even our walls fell to the ground. We tried our best to make do with repairs through plastics. But it was really hard.” Watch a video of the distribution on HFH Philippines’ Facebook page. Thailand: Habitat for Humanity Thailand signed up 160 volunteers for its flood response through its Facebook page in November. Separately, another 3,000 people have volunteered to help in response to an advertisement on Coca-Cola Thailand’s iCoke website. The beverage company had committed to help Habitat as well as the Thai Red Cross in their flood response efforts. New partnerships with Naresuan University in Phitsanulok and the military in Lopburi provinces will boost HFH Thailand’s resources in volunteer labor, transportation and construction equipment. In Lopburi, Habitat will hold a test build to construct a house later this month. Vietnam: Habitat is working with its partners in Dong Thap province in the south to help an initial 121 flood-affected families. HFH Vietnam will be distributing clean-up kits and shelter repair kits. [ Back to top ] Others Habitat highlights financial education program at Citi-FT summit The eighth annual Citi-FT Financial Education Summit, supported by Habitat for Humanity International, was held in Jakarta, Indonesia in early December. This international conference attracted over 250 delegates with topics such as the role of financial education in reducing poverty; how mass media can leverage the reach of financial education programs; and ways in which financial education interventions can be adapted for Islamic banking. Citi is a key supporter of Habitat’s financial education work globally. Since 2000, the Citi Foundation has supported Habitat with more than US$30 million in funding and grants, including a recentUS$1 million grant for microsavings in disaster-prone areas in the Asia-Pacific region, announced earlier this year. At the summit, Jennifer Oomen, housing finance manager for financial education at Habitat’s Asia-Pacific area office, spoke on the role of financial education in accessing housing in disaster-prone areas. Learn more. Separately, Citi Foundation and Habitat for Humanity co-authored a blog post “The Critical Shift Toward Asset Building”. The writers recognize an enormous opportunity in providing products that help low-income households build assets to improve their living conditions and join the financial mainstream. Read on. “Shelter is a neglected human right” On 10th December, when the world marked International Human Rights Day, Habitat for Humanity highlighted how the right to decent shelter could be taken for granted. “Not only does addressing the human right to shelter help realize other human rights, but it also progressively supports greater national wealth and a more robust economy – something not so easily overlooked in these uncertain economic times,” wrote Rick Hathaway, Asia-Pacific vice-president for Habitat for Humanity, in a special statement. More details. Habitat Swatch and more in the Philippines Matteo Guidicelli with the Habitat Swatch. Habitat for Humanity Philippines is the happy recipient amid a season of giving. Swiss-headquartered watchmaker Swatch Philippines recently launched a limited edition watch in aid of HFH Philippines. The Habitat Watch, in gold and silver to mark Christmas, was unveiled at a Manila mall by HFH Philippines’ ambassadors Matteo Guidicelli, Chris Tiu, and Derek Ramsay. Funds raised from the sale of the watch will benefit HFH Philippines’ Youth Build to be held in May 2012. Find out more. Actor and model Derek Ramsay also held a birthday build recently in Navotas city for his fans and friends. Check out photos and video clips and other news on HFH Philippines’ Facebook page. Separately, Toronto-based furniture company Gus* is raising funds for HFH Philippines by seeking trade-in of old furniture. HFH Australia’s Nine Dragons Build in Vietnam Australian volunteers with Habitat home partner families ahead of the build. About 70 volunteers from Australia built six houses together with Habitat for Humanity families during the week-long Nine Dragons Build in Long An province, southern Vietnam. Volunteer Susan Blain posted on Habitat for Humanity Australia’s Facebook page for the build. “It was the most amazing week. Feeling very emotional back in Ho Chi Minh City. So pleased to have been able to participate in this wonderful project. Have met the most amazing people. Would recommend participation in a build to everyone.” Check out photos on Facebook. Read a blog by a volunteer staff member from HFH Vietnam on the build and more. Australia’s Hands and Hearts Cambodia build After a recent recce in Cambodia, Habitat for Humanity Australia’s ambassador Angela Catterns is ready for a revisit in March 2012. The event is HFH Australia’s Hands and Hearts Cambodia build. HFH Australia organized a successful Hand In Hand Build in Nepal in March 2011 for 100 women supporters. Angela, a broadcaster and journalist, talked to Australian newspaper The Age. “You don’t need to be a skilled builder, just a willing worker. But you have to help raise the funds to pay for the house to be built – A$5,000 (US$5,070),” she said.Read more. Habitat World launches multimedia-rich online version The home page of the new online version of Habitat World. Gunde Vendulu from Khammam, India, was one of the first ever Habitat for Humanity families in the Asia-Pacific region. He is also featured in the December issue of Habitat World. The flagship magazine of Habitat for Humanity International has unveiled an all-new digital version with interactive content, photo slideshows and videos. The current issue of Habitat World looks back at family and volunteer stories from around the world over the past 35 years. Another family story from the Philippines and a volunteer story from Japan are included in the edition. Habitat World will offer three online-only issues and three print issues a year. Visit magazine.habitat.org A blessing in return The annual tradition of the Rockefeller Center donating a milled Christmas tree to build a Habitat for Humanity home in the U.S. is celebrated in a new picture book. The 48-page book was written by David Rubel in collaboration with Habitat and illustrated by Jim LaMarche. The Carpenter’s Gift is about the story of a young boy in Depression-era New York who wishes for a decent home for his family and shares a lesson about the importance of helping our neighbors. More details. Check out avideo about the families who received Habitat houses built with the Rockefeller tree. Habitat supporters are encouraged to upload their seasonal and holiday photos to Habitat’s site. Twenty-five people who took the images selected by Habitat will receive a limited edition of The Carpenter’s Gift printed with paper milled from the 2010 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. Find out more. American volunteer writes book after Nepal build Habitat for Humanity volunteers often blog and even write for the media during and after their builds. For Kay Donaldson of Indiana state in the U.S., a book was born after her January 2011 trip to Nepal. “I’ve always wanted to write a book; I just never knew what to write about,” she told local newspaper, The News-Sentinel. Jetlag kept her awake during her first night in Kathmandu; it was then that she decided she would write about her experience in Nepal. Donaldson, 52, who works in a healthcare services group, published the book herself under the title of Borrowed Time: On the Road to Nepal. Habitat’s warm wishes for Christmas Home has a special meaning in HFH Indonesia’s Christmas card. Habitat for Humanity’s programs in the Asia-Pacific region are sending Christmas cards or encouraging their supporters to experience the joy of giving. See some of the cards designed by Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan and Singapore. HFH Indonesia’s card quoted English novelist Charles Dickens: “Home is a name, a word, it is a strong one; stronger than magician ever spoke, or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration.” HFH Singapore is also providing a Christmas “virtual” gift catalogue. Click here. The Asia-Pacific Update team will be taking a holiday hiatus until mid-January 2012. We wish you a blessed Christmas and a wonderful new year. Subscribe or un-subscribe. [ Back to top ] Habitat for Humanity is not responsible for the content of external websites. Published by Habitat for Humanity’s Asia-Pacific office, Bangkok, Thailand.