The "Blue Sky Build" Has Begun

From June 30 to July 16, 350 volunteers from around the world will help build homes for the people of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia as part of the "Blue Sky Build." Eight of those volunteers are from Orange County.

Our group has been anxiously awaiting the day we begin building Habitat for Humanity homes and that day came. Yesterday morning we gathered to make our way to the site and you can sense the excitement from the group. We were ready to get our hands dirty and begin working.

There's so much more to share, but I have to make my way to the site again. It's Tuesday here and it's 8:07 a.m., which means it's time to build. I will share more in the next post.

Global Village Trip to Mongolia

Last week we left Orange County and traveled many hours to Mongolia. Upon arrival we got a crash course on how to speak Mongolian and how to maneuver through the traffic. Traffic lights and cross walks are merely a suggestion as traffic never really stops.

We traveled to the Gobi Desert for miles on off roads since there aren't any roads. We stayed in gers (felt-lined tents) for two nights, which was quite an amazing experience as the wind howls and the rain comes down. Horses were our mode of transportation once we arrived to our camp site. We rode the horses into the mountains and the Gobi Glacier.

We have not forgotten why we traveled miles away to Mongolia. We're here on a mission. We're here to build Habitat for Humanity homes and offer families the stability that comes from owning a home. Things are definitely different here and I will explain more on that in another post.

Sincerely,
Sharon
Habitat OC CEO

Starting the year giving back

This month I traveled to the beautiful city of Managua, the capital of Nicaragua for Habitat for Humanity Global Village trip. Adelle Yeaton, a long time Habitat OC supporter, and Richard Martinez, Habitat OC site supervisor, joined me on this trip as we kicked off the New Year helping and empowering two families to achieve their dreams.

We built two homes in five days with the help of a great team of overachievers during 16hr work days.

The structures of the homes were made up of 1,200 bricks that weighed 32 lbs. each. We unloaded and loaded them and moved them to the structure location, and used different tools like a machete to cut and carve the bricks.

Then we decided to split our team in half and work on two home additions.

The dedication ceremony was touching and inspiring and since Nicaraguans love to celebrate, it was no surprise to end it with games, a piñata, and the joy and laughter of families and friends.

But the work is not done yet. They are currently planning the installation of a water system for fresh, clean water to homes and are testing a new toilet system that is much healthier than what they have now. Our team is motivated to go back and help them with the water project installation.

Towards the end of our week we were able to visit the Masaya Market, a volcano, and take a boat trip around Lake Managua Island.

I continue to be impressed with what Habitat is doing around the world and hope I can continue to support them. I'm looking forward to continuing to help other Habitat for Humanity affiliates throughout the world.

Back home from Cambodia

I have returned from my Global Village trip to Cambodia and am full of joy. On Friday, we finished with the build and ended the day with a home dedication. Home dedications are always one of the most amazing Habitat for Humanity events. At a home dedication you get to witness the family receiving the key to their home and the excitement it brings them to become homeowners. It is truly an incredible thing to see.

The home Adelle and I helped build was for a family of four: mom, dad, and two daughters. Both parents are orphans, so having a home built for them is a dream come true. I was lucky enough to see the family walk into their completed home for the first time and it was incredible. The little girls were excited to no longer have to live on a dumpsite. Can you imagine having to live on a dumpsite? I'm happy Habitat for Humanity was able to help them move off the dumpsite and is giving all of the families the tools to succeed in their new homes. If you would like to learn more about my trip, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Sharon
Executive Director
Habitat for Humanity of Orange County
ExecutiveDirector@HabitatOC.org

Building a garden and courtyard in Cambodia

Besides helping build 22 homes in Cambodia, Adelle and I are helping construct a garden and courtyard around the community center. We're using the same bricks that the homes are made of and it is looking quite lovely.

The bricks are made primarily from the local soil mixed with a little cement and sand. Then, it's all mixed in a large rotary miner usually used to mix clay. Once mixed, it's poured into molds, dried, released from the mold and cured for 16 days.

Time is flying and we can't believe how much work is being done. Stay tuned to see the end result!

-Sharon

Habitat OC meets Cambodia

Adelle Yeaton (a Habitat OC supporter) and I have traveled from Orange County, California to Cambodia to build 22 Habitat homes. We arrived in Cambodia on Sunday and were greeted by the Habitat Cambodia team. Once we got settled at the Hotel Cambodiana, we went for a walk along the promenade which parallels the Mekong River (which we can see from out hotel window.) Phnom Pehn is such an interesting city – it looks very European with wide boulevards and traffic circles. Grand palaces and incredible poverty sit side by side.

Today we started building 22 homes for families who used to live on a huge dumpsite. There have been significant changes each family has had to undertake since part of the process for becoming a Habitat homeowner in this program required the families to move from the dump site to a cleaner, safer location. This was especially difficult for the families since their former way of making a living was scavenging. Due to the change in location, the families were taught new skills: raising crops and animals. This is an ongoing transition as they are not only changing where they live but how they live. While the homes are built, the families have been building their new skills necessary to successful raise crops and animals and living in temporary facilities.

Before we began building today, we took a tour of the dumpsite and found the sheer scope of it hard to comprehend. There are over a thousand families living as scavengers in the dump area. Children run barefoot and many are naked as they climb over mounds of trash. Women spend the day separating plastic bags which are gathered, bagged and shipped to China where they are recycled. We’re happy to be in Cambodia helping build the homes of 22 families that will no longer have to call the dumpsite home. We hope to be able to do the same for all of the families that are still living there.

Stay tuned to keep reading about our time in Cambodia!

Sharon
Executive Director
Habitat for Humanity of Orange County

Royal Newlyweds Applaud Habitat for Humanity's Plan to Reach out to Veterans

On Sunday, July 10th, 2011, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate, met with two senior leaders from Habitat for Humanity during their visit to the Service Nation: Mission Serve Veterans Job Fair held at Sony Pictures Studios. The Habitat for Humanity representatives shared with the Royal Highnesses Habitat's plan to actively engage veterans. The Royal Couple was delighted when presented with the personalized hard hats that created specifically for a future King and Queen.

The event dubbed, "Hiring Our Heroes" invited a number of local veterans who were seeking employment to visit with employers with the hope of finding a good fit. More than 2,000 veterans, military spouses, servicemembers and employers turned out to exchange resumes, set up interviews, and assemble care packages for children whose parents are about to deploy overseas to Afghanistan and Iraq.

Habitat for Humanity of Orange County initiated the Habitat for Heroes and Foundations for Families™ program in 2007. The pilot program has been completed in beautiful San Juan Capistrano where active military, veterans, disabled vets, and local families are thriving in their new community. This successful program is slated for three more Orange County cities: Cypress, Santa Ana and La Habra.

This cause is close to Prince William's heart. The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry is the Princes' primary charitable vehicle and one of its core aims is to raise awareness and support for the servicemembers who put their lives on the line for their countries. With more than one million veterans facing homelessness due to poverty, lack of support and dismal living conditions, Habitat for Humanity is reaching out nationally to meet the changing needs of U.S. military veterans and their communities.

To learn more about our Habitat for Heroes and Foundations for Families™, please contact us. Tweet us @HabitatOC or Facebook us @HabitatOC to share your ideas on how we can continue to serve the military community. If you would like to learn more about Habitat OC's services and programs, please visit http://habitatoc.org/.

*Information shared by Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles