Salgueiro, Brazil: Focus trip – Education

June 27–July 5, 2009

Make this trip a learn-and-serve experience! This build will engage you intellectually, emotionally, spiritually and physically. Join a diverse team of people who will not only help build a home but who will simultaneously learn about housing issues in Brazil, meet with partner organizations and community leaders and learn about the multiple ways you can get involved in Habitat’s ministry.

This is an educational build designed for the person who seeks intellectual stimulation while taking a volunteer vacation. Our team will work in the urban area of Salgueiro, Brazil, in Pernambuco. While Brazil is known for its unsurpassed beauty and stretches of spectacular beaches, we will see and experience northeastern Brazilian culture and the side of Brazil that the average tourist often misses. We are seeking passionate, open-minded and flexible team members eager to learn and get their hands dirty. No building experience is necessary; you can learn that on site!

About Brazil
Brazil is the largest country in Latin America and the fifth most populous country in the world. Half of the country is covered by the gigantic Amazon River system. Dense jungles with abundant wildlife, breathtaking waterfalls and excellent beaches also characterize the landscape.

Searching for employment, masses of people are moving into urban areas where they find few affordable housing options besides severely depressed, overcrowded shantytowns and slums. An unstable economy and extremely high inflation rates make circumstances worse for already impoverished Brazilians. It was recently estimated that more than 50 million Brazilians live in substandard housing.

About Habitat for Humanity Brazil
Habitat for Humanity Brazil was formed in 1987 and builds houses of cement block with clay tile roofs, cement floors, wooden doors and metal windows. HFH Brazil is currently working in more than 21 cities in eight Brazilian states.

For more information on HFH Brazil, visit www.habitatbrasil.org.br or search Brazil’s country profile page on www.habitat.org.

Types of construction for volunteers
Global Village volunteers may work on a variety of tasks. HFH Brazil’s house model is defined with the partner family, always respecting the goal of building a simple, decent and economical house. Houses are built using the region’s available resources, such as cement, sand, brick and metal.

Itinerary

Day 1 (typically Saturday): Depart the U.S. or home country for Brazil.
Day 2 (Sunday): Arrive in Brazil; greeted at the airport by GV hosts; register at hotel; welcome with Habitat staff and families; walking tour of the community; dinner and rest.
Days 3–4 (Monday–Tuesday, Work days): Breakfast served before traveling to work site; work on build with lunch on site; free time after work to clean up; supper of typical local food; time for team activities.
Day 5 (Wednesday): Visit housing settlement; discussion with community leaders; visit local projects and organizations; discussion with organization staff and volunteers; free time; supper; team activity; cultural activity.
Days 6–7 (Thursday–Friday, Work days): Breakfast served before traveling to work site; work on build with lunch on site; free time after work to clean up; supper of typical local food; time for team activities.
Day 8 (Saturday): Breakfast served before traveling to work site; work on build for half-day with lunch on site; afternoon workshop; closing ceremony with host program; dinner and free time; team activities.
Day 9 (Sunday): Travel to airport city; free time for tours, cultural activities; final team dinner.
Day 10 (final day, Sunday): Departure day.

Note: Special events throughout the week include additional opportunities for cultural outings; visits to local projects, churches and nonprofits; free time for other activities, etc.

Accommodations
Habitat Brazil will determine the best lodging option for our group, taking into consideration the group size as well as proximity to the construction site. Work teams usually stay in hotels that are basic, safe and clean. The team will stay two to four people per room. Private or shared baths will also be available.

Breakfast and dinner will typically be served in the hotel or at a local restaurant. Lunch will usually be packed each morning and taken to the build site. Purified water will be provided on site. Volunteers should bring water bottles to carry with them. You may also bring or purchase snacks to take on site.

Trip cost
$1,400

Trip cost includes donation to the Habitat host program and HFHI; meals; accommodations; transport (excluding trip participant airfare); medical emergency evacuation and trip cancellation insurance; some local cultural activities and team coordination and orientation materials. The team leader’s trip cost and estimated airfare may be included in the trip budget. The trip cost does not include trip participant airfare, R&R activities or visa and exit fees (not applicable for all destinations).

Team leader
Melissa Alvarez is an avid fan of traveling with a purpose. She has had short-term stays ranging from one month to five months in Ghana, Costa Rica and Brazil. Melissa’s travel has focused on language learning, service and cultural exchanges, and learning about traditional arts and culture. In 2000, Melissa spent one month in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, living with a host family and learning Portuguese. She is eager to return to Brazil to lead a trip focused on both building and learning about local housing issues in more depth.

Additionally, Melissa has traveled to Jamaica, Barbados, Grenada, Puerto Rico, Panama, Honduras, Slovakia, Austria, Poland, South Africa, India, Thailand and New Zealand.

Melissa’s uncle is a Habitat homeowner in the United States. Inspired by the life-changing results of Habitat’s work with her own family, she opted for a career change and is now working at the administrative headquarters of Habitat for Humanity International.

For more information about this trip, contact Melissa at malvarez@habitat.org.