Habitat for Humanity

CAPCA volunteers assist Habitat for Humanity several times each year to help rehabilitate houses for needy families. Most recently, CAPCA Treasurer Stephanie Arnold traveled Costa Rica in Spring 2001 to help build homes there. CAPCA supported her efforts with a donation of $380.

Read what Stephanie has to say about her experience:

For those RPCVs not currently working in the international development field - have you ever wished that you could satisfy your desire to remain involved in this area while you pursue your current career or education? I know this has been at the top of my mind, and I have recently found a great way to do just this. For the past two years, I have been a participant in Habitat for Humanity International's Global Village Programs in the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica. Global Village projects provide one- to three-week opportunities for individuals to work alongside families in developing countries to build new homes, which fulfill their dreams and greatly enhance their standard of living.

This year, from May 5-13, I worked with two families in Cartago, Costa Rica in the construction of their new homes. In order to participate, I was responsible for making a $500 contribution to the local Habitat affiliate in Cartago and covering my own expenses for the trip (airfare, lodging and meals). Because Habitat is a charitable organization, participants are encouraged to ask for donations, which may be tax deductible. I requested donations from my work colleagues and friends and made a request to CAPCA's Board of Directors to match the $380 I had received from other sources as of that specific date. The CAPCA Board generously approved my request, and I am extremely grateful for this support which allowed me to participate in such a worthwhile activity.

Since 1976, Habitat has built more than 100,000 houses in more than 60 countries, including some 30,000 houses across the United States. The eventual homeowners purchase their own Habitat houses. Three factors make the houses affordable to low-income people worldwide: The houses are sold at no-profit, with no interest charged on the mortgage; homeowners and volunteers build the houses under trained supervision; and individuals, corporations, faith groups and others provide generous financial support. A decent, solid home from Habitat costs a Costa Rican family approximately $6,300. They pay the no-interest loan over ten years, and their payments, in turn, create the ability for another family to receive a home.

A Habitat for Humanity work camp entails long days of very hard labor. This aspect makes it quite different from my Peace Corps experience in Ghana, where I was not permitted by the local community to actively participate in the construction of the latrines and wells, which I initiated in my village. However, in so many other ways, the Habitat work camps do provide a sort of miniature Peace Corps experience. I was able to work closely with the families that would be the eventual beneficiaries of the homes, take part in their daily lives, and really have a chance to experience the Dominican and Costa Rican cultures at a grass-roots level - far beyond the experience that would be afforded to the average tourist. Both the families and the volunteers really feel as though we have touched each others lives in a meaningful way, and it is a highly rewarding experience for all involved. Volunteers leave the worksite knowing that they have moved the families closer to their goal, and that provides a very satisfying sense of accomplishment.

Habitat for Humanity's Global Village Program presents numerous opportunities to participate in such projects around the globe. You can find out more about current "open" Global Village trips in 2001 and 2002 by visiting the Habitat website at www.habitat.org/gv/. There are also special trips organized for "closed" groups, and I may be organizing a trip as a team leader in 2002. Feel free to contact me if you would like more information.