Pokhara, Nepal

May 14–29, 2010

Picture a city in the Himalayas, located on a pristine lake with mountains in the background and trails to be trekked. Imagine local villagers living in crowded, substandard housing. Now picture a small band of eager volunteers, working alongside local people, helping to improve the living conditions for a family. If you would like to be one of that eager band of volunteers, join our trip to Pokhara. We will work hard, laugh frequently and connect personally to local people with a different culture. No construction skills or experience is required—only an eagerness to enjoy the unexpected.

About Nepal
Located in southern Asia between India and China, Nepal contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest and Kanchenjunga, the world's tallest and third-tallest mountains, respectively.

Nepal is as ethnically diverse as its terrain. The Nepalese are descendants of three major migrations from India, Tibet and central Asia. Nepali is the official language, but more than 100 regional and indigenous languages are spoken throughout the country. Religion is also diverse in Nepal; Nepal is roughly 81 percent Hindu, 11 percent Buddhist and 4.2 percent Muslim.

About Habitat for Humanity Nepal
Nearly 90 percent of Nepal’s 22 million people live in the rural plains and mountains, primarily as subsistence farmers. Forty-five percent of Nepal’s population lives below the poverty line, with one infant in every 10 dying before the age of five. A lack of employment and poverty has forced one in 10 of the rural population to migrate to the capital, Kathmandu, and other cities—resulting in a shortage of adequate housing in towns and cities, crowded living spaces and the growth of substandard housing.

Habitat for Humanity Nepal builds in every major geographic area of the country, providing an affordable and decent house using the resources available in each location. This may mean mud-and-brick, bamboo or clay bricks. These houses replace the thatch, straw, mud and bamboo houses that are now just pieced together. HFH Nepal also partners with other nonprofits to help teach families how to build homes, to provide disaster response to help communities affected by flooding and to provide clean water and proper sanitation to families in need.

About Pokhara
Pokhara is located in central Nepal. Once a major trading town on the trade route between India and Tibet, it is now one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. The region, however, still faces many of the same challenges as the rest of the country.

Types of construction for volunteers
Volunteers may work on new construction or renovation of homes. Construction materials depend upon locally available materials: bamboo, brick, stone, cement blocks, sunburned brick, etc. The construction tasks will vary depending on the stage of construction.

Standard itinerary
Day 1, Saturday: Depart from home.
Day 2, Sunday: Arrive in Kathmandu.
Day 3, Monday: Fly to Pokhara ; welcome by host staff and general orientation.
Days 4–7, Tuesday–Friday: Breakfast at the hotel; construction and safety orientation; work from 8 a.m.–4 p.m. with lunch on site; free time after work to clean up; dinner; time for team activities.
Days 8–9, Saturday–Sunday: Free days; cultural activities or day trips.
Days 10–13, Monday–Thursday: Breakfast at the hotel; construction and safety orientation; work from 8 a.m.–4p.m. with lunch on site; free time after work to clean up; dinner; time for team activities.
Day 14, Friday: House dedication; farewell lunch; fly back to Kathmandu; free time and overnight there.
Day 15, Saturday: Depart for home.

Note: There will be time for some cultural activities after certain work days to visit a school, orphanage, etc.

Accommodations
Lodging will be provided in a local hotel with participants sharing double-occupancy rooms and a bath. Breakfast will be provided at the hotel. Lunch, snacks and bottled water will be taken on the work site. Dinner will be eaten at the hotel or a local restaurant.

Trip cost
$1,870
Trip cost includes: donation to the Habitat host program and HFHI; meals; accommodations; transport (excluding trip participant air fare); 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 air fare may be included in the trip budget. The trip cost does not include trip participant air fare, R&R activities or visa and exit fees (not applicable for all destinations).

Team leader
John Pilgrim is a retired college professor living in North Carolina. He has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity since 2004. This will be his tenth Global Village build.

If you are interested in this trip or would like more information, please contact John at gvpilgrim@gmail.com.