Habitat for Humanity Global Village

Some people in our community enjoy participating in a unique way to build homes abroad: Habitat for Humanity International’s Global Village trips.

Through these frequent trips, Habitat for Humanity International gives participants the opportunity to raise awareness of the burden of poverty housing. Global Village team members build simple, affordable homes alongside members of the host community help build a true “global village” of love, homes, communities and hope!

Above, John Budway shares a hug with kids from Kyrgyzstan.

Hungary in May 2008

Interested in working with other Habitat volunteers in an international setting? Want to see how Habitat builds in other parts of the world? Raleigh residents and Habitat Wake volunteers Madeline and John Budway are leading a Habitat Global Village team to Szarvas, Hungary, in May 2008, to build alongside homeowners-to-be in this poor part of a beautiful and culturally rich country. Come join the team!

Despite much progress in its economic reforms as it becomes a fully integrated member of the European Union, Hungary stills suffers from a lack of affordable housing for many of its citizens. If you are interested in helping to make a difference there, please contact John and Madeline Budway at szarvas2008@bellsouth.net or 305-205-5104 or 919-847-6715.

Habitat in Hungary

Habitat for Humanity’s work in Hungary was sparked by the opportunity to host the Jimmy Carter Work Project in 1996. This idea led to a two-week volunteer build in Vác, where volunteers built 10 homes. Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter was among the more than 500 hard-working volunteers. Since that highly publicized beginning, more than 100 Hungarian families have moved into their own Habitat homes.

Itinerary

Hungary Team Leaders

Madeline and John Budway, who live in Raleigh, are the team leaders for this trip to Hungary. Madeline and John have traveled to many countries around the world and lived in Brazil for three years. They have participated in Global Village builds in Ecuador, Brazil and Costa Rica. In August 2007 they led a Global Village team to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. In the United States, they have helped build Habitat homes North Carolina and Florida. In addition, they were part of Habitat for Humanity Operation Home Delivery in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and have returned several times with a group from their church to continue the on-going recovery efforts there.

Application to Join the Team

Habitat for Humanity International requires would-be participants to submit an application. The team leaders select team members from a pool of applicants. Selection is not on a first-come basis. Work assignments normally involve strenuous physical activity, sometimes at high altitudes. Team members must be in good physical health. If you have any question before applying, please contact John and Madeline at szarvas2008@bellsouth.net or 305-205-5104 or 919-847-6715.

Kyrgyzstan in August 2007

Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked country surrounded by mountains in Central Asia. Soviet power was initially established in the region in 1919. The early years of glasnost in the 1980s had little effect on the political climate in Kyrgyzstan. Unofficial political groups were forbidden, but several groups emerged in 1989 to deal with the acute housing crisis were permitted to function.

At present, Habitat for Humanity International is the only organization in the country that provides no-interest, long-term mortgages for homes. Traditionally, a family must pay for their home up front in one lump sum, making it impossible for most people to own their home.

Habitat Kyrgyzstan started out by building houses together with 20 families in need on a parcel of land donated by the local government. Due to the rising cost of house building, Habitat for Humanity shifted work in 2003 to apartment renovation and finishing half-built homes. Now, the average monthly payment is US$35 over a period of 20 years for a house and US$60 over a period of 10 years for an apartment.

386 families in Kyrgyzstan moved into simple homes built by volunteers from around the world in 2007. A group from Raleigh led by John and Madeline helped construct an attached home for five families. They built in the city Bishkek. Numerous family members and local folk worked alongside the team from America. (The pictures on this page were taken on their trip. At right, volunteers frame the house.)

Chinara, mother with a three-year-old son and twin two-year-old daughters, moved into one of the Kyrgyzstan homes before the holidays. She had come from a studio room in a dormitory that was damp and overrun with flies. She will pay for her mortgage from her modest $144/month salary she earns working at a local marketing department.