特定非営利活動法人ハビタット・フォー・ヒューマニティ・ジャパン

家を建てることで平和を築く国際協力NGO。緊急人道・災害復興・海外ボランティア・国内事業で世界の貧困住宅問題を支援。

特定非営利活動法人ハビタット・フォー・ヒューマニティ・ジャパン：ライブラリー

 

訪問年月別/Trip Date

 

2008年3月一覧  <  海外住居建築活動体験レポート  <  Home

海外住居建築活動体験レポート
2008年3月 一覧

Team NameKyoto Gaidai Nishi Habitat Club (Kyoto Gaidai Nishi High School)
CountryNew Zealand Central North Island
Work siteOtorohanga, 1 Family Single storey, tri-panel construction
Itinerary12 Day(s) 23-Mar 2008(SUN) ? 03-Apr 2008(THU)
MemberTotal: 13 Adult(M): 2 , Adult(F): 2, High School(M): 1, High School(F): 8
ExpenseTraveling:138830 JPY（taxes included）/person
In-country:7103 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
RouteKansai-->Kuala Lumpur-->Auckland (Malaysian)
Report Our group left Kansai International Airport on March 23rd and traveled to Auckland, New Zealand via Kuala Lumpur, arriving on the morning of the 24th. We were met there by our local coordinator, Shirley Bennett and her husband, who then drove us in two rented vans to our build site in the picturesque little country town of Otorohanga, some two and a half hours to the southwest. Aftera very long trip, we were all very tired, so following a brief orientation, we retired to our rooms at the Palm Court Motel. This motel is conveniently located at the edge of the commercial district and was less than ten minutes on foot from our build site. It was very clean, spacious and comfortable and the staff were kind and helpful, but oddly there were no closets or chests of draweres to keep our clothes in - so we lived out our suitcases the whole time.
The morning following our arrival we went straight to work. We helped to build a single storey, three bedroom, tri-panel home for the Tane family. Iwas very impressed by how easily and well our hight school members caught on to the work and fit in, working in harmony with the local volunteers and staff. The Kiwis were happily surprised too, as a previous negative experience with a junior high group from another Asian county had made the Central North Island chapter wary of accepting secondary school aged groups. We helped with every aspect of construction except installing the electrical system.
Also very impressive was how quickly we could build such a solid and substantial house. The method of the construction seemed little differnt from a comparable professionally built house in Japan or the US. By the time we left, the exterior was nearly finished and the interior was well on it's way.
Seven members of our tema (two adults and five students) could only stay for five full days in NZ due to other commitments. So they only had a half day of R&R in the afternoon of their last building day (3/28). The highlight was visiting a native bird park in town that is famous for its successful kiwi (the bird) breeding program. The rest of us had a whole weekend. On Saturday, March 29th, while the gang of seven reluctantly returned to Auckland, we visited one of the famous glow worm caves in Waitomo and attended the annual sheep muster in the town of Te Kuiti. The sheep muster is the highlight of a town fair in withich over 2000 sheep are herded along the main street of the town, On Sunday, we visited Rotorua, the tourist center which is famous for its hot springs, geysers and Maori cultre.
As for our meals, we took care of our own breakfast, stocking up at the supermarket that is across the street from the motel. But lunches and morning and afternoon teas were catered by local volunteers led by Ann, who welcomed us into her cozy home most evenings to enjoy her traditional New Zealand style home cooking, heaty and simple fare that included rost lamb, potatoes, yams and a variety of vegetables. Lunches and teas consisted of a wide assortment of sandwiches, quiches, cakes, pies, cookies and other goodies that froced us to work very hard in order to avoid gaining too much weight. I think it was all planned...:-)
Ours was the first Japanese group ever to do a GV build in New Zealand and for all of the members except myself, it was our first build. It was a wonderful and rewarding experience and satisfaction from having extended what they had presumed to be the limits of their abilities (and perhaps even discovering some new talents!). The Tane house is Otorohang stands as an accomplishement that we can all be proud of. We wish the Tane family many many happy years there!
Our heartfelt thanks go to all of the NZ volunteers and staff who made us feel at home and who patiently guided us along in our tasks, Till we meet again...Kia ora!
PhotoUpper left: with homeowners, Upper right: building
Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel


* Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat Japan 日時: 2008年3月23日 10:45



 

Team NameSaint Mary's International School
CountryPhilippines, Coco Palm Quezon
Work siteBarangay Banot, Sampaloc, Quezon, 2 Families Concrete, one stories
Itinerary8 Day(s) 22-Mar 2008(SAT) ? 29-Mar 2008(SAT)
MemberTotal: 27 Adult(M): 3 , Adult(F): 4, High School(M): 20
ExpenseTraveling:70000 JPY（taxes included）/person
In-country:5000 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
RouteNarita-->Manila (PAL)
Manila-->Narita (PAL)
ReportThe Spring 2008 Habitat for Humanity Youth Team of Saint Mary's International School in Tokyo was composed of twenty high school boys and seven teachers. The team traveled to the Philippines from March 22 through 29. The staff of Coco Palm Quezon Habitat for Humanity Affiliate met us at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, led us to a tourist bus, and took us to Patio Rizal Hotel in Lucban, Quezon. We had late lunch, shopping, and change money at the Foreign Exchange at SM Sucat on our way to Quezon. The trip took us less than four hours. The hotel was nice and clean. The food was excellent! We had a courtesy call to the Local Government Officials of Sampaloc, Quezon. We took part in the construction of two concrete-one story houses for two families in Barangay Banot Core Housing in Sampaloc, Quezon. Although we left with the two houses' roofs unfinished, we were able to grace the blessing and dedication of eight completely constructed houses to eight qualified and lucky homeowners. Each day of the working week, a staff oriented us of the tasks for the day. We dug two septic reservoirs, sacked gravel and sand, mixed cement, shoveled cement into buckets, carried and passed buckets of cement, poured cement onto the floorings, fetched and carried buckets of water, piled blocks on the walls, poured cement into the crevices, and cut iron bars. The team enjoyed the facilities of Pueblo por la Playa Beach Resort in Quezon. The Shooting the Rapids at Pagsanjan in Laguna was the highlight of the trip for the boys. We also had the chance to visit the "Kamay ni Jesus" healing church in Lucena City. The boys enjoyed shopping at the SM malls in Manila and Lucena City. Overall, the trip was a very rewarding experience.
PhotoUpper left: with homeowners, Upper right: building
Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel


* Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat Japan 日時: 2008年3月22日 11:01



 

Team NameMie JET
CountryIndia Chennai, Pondicherry
Work siteVambapet, 97
Families Single household
Itinerary11day(s) 21-Mar 2008(FRI) ? 31-Mar 2008(MON)
MemberTotal: 10 JET(M): 1, JET(F): 9
ExpenseTraveling: 130000 JPY(taxes included)/person
In-country: 48 USD (taxes included)/person/day
RouteNagoya-->Singapore-->Chennai (Singapore Airlines)
ReportOur team had an amazing time in Pondicherry! The GV coordinator, Mr. J. Anna Charly, was an amazing coordinator and host. He organized our time well, and he anticipated any needs that we might have. Any time that we had a concern about some aspect of our trip or the program, Mr. Charly took the time to speak with us and explain why certain decisions had been made.
The worksite where we built had no finished Habitat houses yet, but the home partners were living nearby. Due to weather concerns, our team worked with just one mason, a project coordinator from another small NGO, and one or two Habitat employees. We were building single-family, brick homes. Most of our time was spent transporting sand, mixing mortar, and laying bricks. By the end of our work week, we had worked on several partially-completed houses.
Our R&R activities included vising Auroville, an international commune; visiting a temple with an elephant; visiting a local school; and shopping. We were given a lot of free time in the evenings for shopping or walking around Pondicherry. We would have enjoyed a chance to visit more temples, or historical areas.
Our accomodations were at Hotel Mass in Pondicherry City. We stayed three people per room to save money. We ate our breakfast at the hotel, lunch at the worksite, and in the evenings, we tried various local restaurants. The accomodations were very satisfactory.
More than one of my team members said that this was the best week of their life, and many hope to stay involved with HFH. So, I want
to sincerely thank all the people in Japan and India who made our trip a success.
PhotoLeft: team and the homeowner, Right: hotel


* Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat Japan 日時: 2008年3月21日 12:02



 

Team NameOsaka JET
CountryPhilippines, Zion Puerto Princesa Palawan Habitat for Humanity
Work siteBarangay Bahile, 107 Families, Concrete interlocking blocks
Itinerary12 Day(s)　20-Mar 2008(THU) ? 31-Mar 2008(MON)
MemberTotal: 11 JET(M): 4, JET(F): 7
ExpenseTraveling:88750 JPY（taxes included）/person
In-country:6800yen / person / day JPY（taxes included）/person/day
RouteOsaka-->Manila (Philippine Airlines)
Manila-->Puerto Princesa (Philippine Airlines)
ReportThe Osaka JET team of 11 members flew to the Philippines to volunteer with Zion Puerto Princesa Palawan Habitat for Humanity from March 20th-31st in the wonderful village of Barangay Bahile. All team members were English teachers working through the JET Program in Japan. From the moment we all stepped off the plane in Puerto Princesa we felt as if we gained a new Filipino family. We were greeted not only with a personalized welcome sign and shell necklaces, but also such warm hugs and contagious smiles.

Soon after arrival, we were transported to our beautiful and very comfortable accommodation at the Balay Inato Hotel. Most members shared double beds in very clean rooms with hot water showers and private bathrooms. The staff members here were very friendly and the food was also quite delicious. Breakfast was provided for us every morning, bright and early!

Because it was during the Easter holidays when we arrived, we immediately began our trip with some fun R & R options. On day #1 our team did an island hopping tour in beautiful Honda Bay. On Easter Sunday, a few members had an early start to their day by attending a sunrise 4:00am Easter mass service, followed by a full day of everyone enjoying sightseeing around the famous Underground River.

After a well organized orientation and briefing by the Palawan Habitat for Humanity members, we traveled to our work site for another amazing warm welcome. The village had prepared dances, songs, flower necklaces, introduced us to the home owners and skilled builders and much more entertainment to welcome us into their community. Wow, were we impressed and excited to begin!

Next it was time to begin the work we had come to do... brick by brick, time to build some homes! Even though it was very sunny and hot everyday, our team worked hard for 6 days to nearly complete building three concrete homes in the village where there had been 107 homes already built. Every morning, we traveled to our work site by jeepney, accompanied by our two friendly security guards, numbering off, singing songs, playing games, enjoying the gorgeous scenery, with the wind blowing through our hair. This one hour ride every morning and evening was a great time for team bonding! On site, we were able to become involved in almost every part of the home construction process, which included mixing cement, making the interlocking concrete blocks, excavation, tree planting, foundation laying, cement pouring, brick laying and more. It was amazing to see the houses grow more complete day by day. And yes, our muscles did grow as well! We worked and sweat side by side with skilled friendly Filipino builders as well as the dedicated home owners. Even though none of us had ever built a home before, everyone on site was so patient and kind to help teach us every step of the way (even if we did make many mistakes!). During our work days we were provided with home-cooked delicious Filipino lunches and snacks. Fresh fish, tropical fruits, tender meats, scrumptious vegetarian options... oh so much wonderful food! During our break times, our team loved playing and getting dirty with the children too! Towards the end of our week, each team member was also individually assigned to a homestay family where we had the unforgettable opportunity to spend an evening living together in the community.

Within the community our team was also lucky to be invited to two school graduations. We also attended the city foundation day celebration. We joined in the parade, watched the children's performances, as well as entertained the crowd with our own songs and crazy Japanese dances! During the week we visited the Iwahig Prison and a crocodile farm. On another evening our team was generously invited for dinner at one of the Habitat for Humanity board of director's homes, followed by a bit of disco dancing with our Habitat ladies!

Our final day on-site, we had a lively warm-hearted farewell party with the community and Habitat for Humanity members. More dancing, singing, birthday celebrating, hugs, tears, smiles, prayers, thankful words, laughs, smeared cake on faces, stories shared, photos and lots of fun were had by all. The evening finished with yet another huge delicious feast to feed us all. It was hard to believe the build was over.

After the build, most members traveled north to enjoy the unspoiled tropical paradise of El Nido and the surrounding islands for a few days. A perfect ending to a perfect trip! So many great memories were made that will last for a lifetime. We are already all looking forward to returning to Palawan again... hopefully someday soon! Thanks for everything Palawan Habitat for Humanity and our Bahile community! We'll miss you!

PhotoUpper left: with homeowners Upper right: building
Lower left: finished building Lower right: hotel


* Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat Japan 日時: 2008年3月20日 17:38



 

Team NameHokkaido JETs
CountryPhilippines, GMM (Greater Metro Manila)
Work siteSNKI-Agape, Camarin, Caloocan City, 12 Families, Two-storey houses made from concrete hollow blocks
Itinerary15 Day(s) 15-Mar 2008(SAT) ? 29-Mar 2008(SAT)
MemberTotal: 10 Adult(M): 1 , JET(M): 5, JET(F): 4
ExpenseTraveling:79600 JPY（taxes included）/person
In-country:5000 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
RouteChitose/Incheon-->Incheon/Manila (Korean Air)
Manila/Incheon-->Incheon/Chitose (Korean Air)
ReportOn March 15th, 2008, our group of Hokkaido ALTs departed Chitose International Airport for Manila. We arrived at midnight and were greeted at the packed airport by our co-ordinators and some welcomed warm weather. The van that picked us up was unusually late, even for Philippine standards, due to traffic, and it was an indication of the beginning of the summer season. About an hour later, the team arrived at the guesthouse, which we would call home for the next two weeks. We were really happy with the accommodation, not only because it was a nice, spacious place and a convenient starting point for many destinations, but also because it was staffed with warm, helpful people that made our stay memorable. Did I mention free laundry service?
With a clang of the bell at 6:30 in the morning, we started off our days with breakfast at the guesthouse, then on to a 40-minute jeepney commute to the nearby city of Caloocan, snarling through the chaotic but somehow systematic Manila traffic: loud, bumpy, and uniquely Filipino. When the team arrived at the work site, we wasted no time getting acquainted with the SNKI community homepartners and with the task at hand. We were assigned a variety of jobs over the course of 6-days: digging ditches, clearing garbage, passing concrete buckets, filling bags of sand and gravel, and laying concrete hollow blocks. It was tough, but it was exactly the kind of work we wanted. As it was the beginning of summer, the hot sun got the best of us at times. Luckily, the breaks were just as fun. They gave us not only some much-needed rest, but also a chance to try some authentic Filipino foods like fresh spring rolls and ripe mangoes picked from nearby trees. Afterwards, we winded down by playing with the neighbourhood kids, rain or shine. After applying a new coat of sunscreen, we went back and passed more concrete buckets while the kids called for our attention. When the work for the day was done, all sweaty and dusted with cement powder, the team headed back to the guesthouse, often arguing over who gets to use the shower first. We wasted no time cleaning up, and from there it was a cheap taxi ride to the mall for dinner.
As a majority Christian country, the Philippines observed the season of Holy Week, and on our first Thursday and Friday there we did not have to work. So we opted to visit the slums of Baseco on the other side of Manila where a few team members volunteered with Habitat for Humanity last year. The next day, we took a chartered jeepney to the countryside to witness a crucifixion re-enactment play that involved somebody actually getting nailed on a cross. It was definitely a sight to be seen.
On our last day, a community party was held where the kids of SNKI gathered to put on a show for us. We gladly joined in, even though we looked totally out of place. After that, we presented the community with some gifts (toys and new construction equipment), and after repeating goodbyes, headed back. It was a great way to wrap up our time there, and a testament to how amazing people can bond so quickly in a volunteer trip like this regardless of their background and economic status.
The first day of our R&R was spent at the Villa Escudero resort outside of Manila, where we went on a museum tour, ate lunch beside a man-made waterfall, and enjoyed the swimming pool. On our second day, we were originally scheduled to climb Mt. Taal, also outside of Manila, but the boat operators taking us there decided to take liberties with their prices when they saw a van full of foreigners, so we opted not to continue on. Instead, we just had lunch at a restaurant overlooking the volcano. The following day, we went on a three-hour van and boat ride to a beach in the nearby island of Mindoro. We stayed there until the next day, getting some much-needed rest and relaxing under the sun. The people at the resort we stayed in were extremely nice and hospitable, which is something we can say for most of the people we met in the country. For those looking to volunteer other than in the usual places like Thailand or India, give the Philippines another look.
PhotoUpper left: team with the homeowners and volunteers, Upper right: building
Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel


* Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat Japan 日時: 2008年3月15日 20:20



 



Team NameSUAC in Support of Habitat for Humanity(Shizuoka University of Art and Culture)
CountryThailand HRC-Northeast (Udon Thani)
Work site1 Families 2 room steel frame, cement block house with corrugated iron roof
Itinerary11 Day(s) 04-Mar 2008(TUE) ? 14-Mar 2008(FRI)
MemberTotal:16 Adult(M): 2, Adult(F): 2, Univ. Stud.(M):1,Univ.Stud.(F): 11
ExpenseTraveling:79780 JPY（taxes included）/person
In-country:Approx. 2,350 (not including surcharges for members with single rooms etc.) JPY（taxes included）/person/day
RouteChubu international airport-->Bangkok (Thai)
Bangkok-->Udon Thani (Thai)
ReportWhen you are greeted at an airport with red roses and a welcome banner, you can be pretty sure that you are going to have a wonderful stay. The welcome that the Udon Thani staff gave us was warm and thoughtful and typical of their general hospitality to us throughout our visit (Thank you, Tasani and your team!).
After checking into our rooms at the Karin Hotel (big, clean rooms; a TV with both Japanese and English channels; great value; but, yes, skip the breakfast option!) we were driven off to lunch in our very own pair of Songthaews. For the whole week we were driven around by two volunteer drivers who had taken time off work to help. Driving around on the converted back of a brightly painted pick up, with the sound of Thai pop music blaring from the car radio and squeals from our group as we saw yet another beautiful temple, cute kid, water buffalo ? you fill in the gap ? was a fun and blissfully airy way to travel in hot weather.
The next day, when we were driven out into the surrounding countryside to see the house we were to build (the foundation, the steel frame, and the roof had already been erected by volunteers from the village) it was impossible to believe that we could finish all six walls in just four days. However, after going through the safety orientation and being shown what to do, we soon got the hang of brick-laying and began to really bond as a team (despite some of us never having met before).
The hardest day was the second day when we mixed the concrete for the floor by hand. It was really physical work but everyone pitched in and whenever the staff saw us tiring they were quick to cheer us up with a joke or a song (thanks Bomp!). Other Thai volunteers helped, as well as the drivers, and although the home owner couldn't be present because of her job, her elderly mother always made us welcome. Big, delicious, home-cooked style lunches also helped - as did a Thai massage for our poor backs later that night!
Our stay fell over a weekend so after laying the floor we had two days to recover before finishing the walls. Although Udon Thani is one of the poorest regions of Thailand and doesn't get much of a write-up in many of the tourist guides, there is actually a lot to see there. As well as the amazing pottery at the Ban Chiang World Heritage Site, we enjoyed hiking through the Phu Phra Bat Historical Park, cruising on the Meakong River, visiting a temple, and shopping near the Thai-Laos friendship bridge. Other activities included visiting a local primary school, where we taught the older grades how to make origami frogs that hop; touring a village working, in partnership with World Vision, to show local farmers how to use local resources to farm more sustainably; having a Thai dancing lesson; and visiting Sarnelli House, a home for children with HIV/AIDS. The last activity was one of the highlights for me. Seeing the children's pleasure at having 16 young visitors come to play for a morning quietened my worries that they might feel gawked at, although it was heartbreaking to have to leave. I would really recommend going if you have the time (and take more water pistols ? they were a big hit!).
In the evenings there was lots of free time to enjoy Udon Thani's night market (very popular with certain shopaholics searching for huge numbers of ""omiyage"") and on our last afternoon Candi in Bangkok was kind enough to hastily organize an additional last minute trip into the centre of the city for some sight-seeing and, yes, more shopping!!
The house dedication ceremony on our final full day was very emotional as many of the homeowner's mother's friends and neighbours came around to give us a special local blessing. In the end over twenty women came in to sit in the circle and as we shuffled around in front of them on our knees, each one tied a simple knotted bracelet around our wrist, thanked us and prayed for our happiness. Later that night her mother and a few neighbours also joined us for a farewell dinner at a beautiful lakeside restaurant where Bob managed to get us all up for at least one shot at the Thai karaoke. Possibly one of the hardest things for us to understand was the background situation of the homeowner because there was a lot that we were not told, but seeing the tears of joy on her mother's face, the happiness that the other villagers felt for her, and her smile as she danced with us that night, confirmed that we had done a good job.
In the end nobody wanted to go home and we felt as though we had been given far more than we had donated, in the form of so many fantastic memories ? of the children at Sarnelli House, of the Udon-Thani staff, of seeing even the shyest members of our team blossom in confidence as they succeeded in communicating across the language barrier. It was a great experience and I would recommend going to Udon Thani to any team, especially those made up of first-timers who might feel a little bit nervous about what taking part in the GV entails.

投稿者: Habitat Japan 日時: 2008年3月 4日 10:51



 

所属ハビタットＭＧＵ（２） (明治学院大学)
訪問先バングラデシュ カリガンジ
サイト情報3 家族 レンガ造り
活動日程14 日間：01-Mar 2007(木曜日) ? 14-Mar 2007(水曜日)
メンバー計: 15 名：大学男性: 4, 大学女性: 11
費用旅費:79820 円(税込)/1名
滞在費:52878 円(税込）/1名/1日平均
航空経路成田-->香港 (キャセイパシフィック)
香港-->ダッカ (香港ドラゴン航空)
リポート私達は3月1日〜14日の2週間、バングラデシュへ行ってきました。滞在先は首都ダッカで、ワークサイトはダッカから車で約１時間の場所にあるカリガンジという所でした。カリガンジは見渡す限りの緑。ゆっくりと時をすごす牛やヤギ、そして人々...。そこは時間がゆっくりと流れる場所でした。バングラデシュの家はレンガ作りでした。ワークは８日間あり、３軒の建築活動携わりました。ワーク内容としては主に砂運び、レンガ運び。他にセメントに混ぜるためのレンガを細かく砕いたり、レンガを強くするためにレンガに水をかけるといった仕事をしました。ワーク中、村の子供達が遊びに来て、作業を手伝ってくれたり、近くに咲いている花を摘んできては私達にプレゼントをしてくれたりしました。子供達の笑顔に本当に癒されました。Ｒ＆Ｒでは、小学校訪問、大学訪問、ダッカ観光、洪水支援のプロジェクトのサイト訪問、２年前に支援を受けていた家への訪問、シレット観光へ行きました。小学校訪問では子供とふれ合ったり、絵を描いてもらったりしました。大学訪問では、大学生に日本についてのイメージやバングラデシュについてなどの質問をしました。洪水支援のプロジェクトのサイト訪問では、竹製で高床式の家を見学させていただいたり、ホームオーナーさんに話を伺うことができました。２年前に支援を受けていた家への訪問では、既に出来あがった家や生活ぶりを見せていただき、ホームオーナーに現在欲しいものは何か、家とは何か、といったいくつかの質問をすることもできました。シレット観光では、ジャングル散策、部族の村見学へ行きました。私たちが滞在したのはゲストハウスで、２?３人で一部屋を使用しました。部屋にはベット、ソファ、化粧台、冷蔵庫、クローゼット、バスルームがついており、十分な作りでした。しかし、時々シャワーのお湯が出なくなったり、停電が起きたりしました。また、しばしばゴキブリが出没し、ストレスに感じているメンバーがいました。食事はゲストハウスで食べることが多く、食事の量やスパイスの量などに気を使っていただきました。ゲストハウスの方々にとても親切にしていただきました。
写真左上:現地の人とメンバーの集合写真　右上:建築途中
左下:完成



* 画像をクリックすると拡大します。

投稿者: Habitat Japan 日時: 2008年3月 1日 14:11



 

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