A Habitat Global Village volunteer program gives you the chance to immerse yourself in a culture through purpose based travel. On this unforgettable 16-day adventure, you will have the opportunity to make new friends while experiencing the vibrant sights, sounds and flavors of Nepal. We will be working alongside a team of local builders and community members, helping a family achieve their dream of a safe and decent place to call home.

However, it is not all hard work and no construction experience is necessary. Pokhara is a picturesque lakeside community; nestled in the foothills of the Himalayan Annapurna Range. The trip will include many extra activities, such as visiting temples, handicraft markets and other places of interest in one of the most exotic places in the world. This will be a fun-filled adventure, not only on the build site but in the activities we undertake as a team. We are looking for enthusiastic, fun-loving, dependable, open-minded people to join our team.  

At work on a bamboo-built house in Nepal.

About Nepal
Located in Southern Asia and couched 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, 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 mountain areas, 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 “green” 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, provide disaster-response help to communities affected by flooding and to provide clean water and proper sanitation to families in need.

About Pokhara
Scenic Pokhara, with a population of 200,000 people, is Nepal’s third largest city. Lying just 827 meters above sea level in a valley floor, it is an area of ancient caves and tranquil lakes nestling at the foot of the awe-inspiring Annapurna range of mountains. Pokhara is home to an international museum of mountaineering. The city is also a base for trekking, kayaking, ultra-light flying and paragliding, mountain biking and other outdoor pursuits. 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, sun-burnt brick, etc. The construction tasks will vary depending on the stage of construction.

Standard itinerary
Day 1 Friday, March 14, 2014: Depart from home.
Day 2 Saturday, March 15, 2014: Travel day
Day 3 Sunday, March 16, 2014: Travel day; arrival in Kathmandu.
Day 4 Monday, March 17, 2014: Fly to Pokhara; welcome by host staff and general orientation.
Days 5-8 Tuesday-Friday: March 18-21, 2014: 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 9-10 Saturday-Sunday, March 22- 23: 2014: Free days; cultural activities or day trips.
Days 11 -14 Monday-Thursday, March 24- 27: 2014: 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 15 Friday, March 28, 2014: House dedication; farewell lunch; fly back to Kathmandu; free time and overnight there.
Day 16 Saturday, March 29, 2014: 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 shared bath. Breakfast will be provided at the hotel, as well. Lunch, snacks and bottled water will be taken on the worksite. Dinner will be eaten either at the hotel or a local restaurant. 

Program cost
US$2,290
(For more details about what is included in this cost, visit Global Village program cost.)

Increase your impact: Take the GV Challenge
Habitat for Humanity is accelerating its work to end poverty housing, and we need Global Village teams to help. Set a goal and fundraise to make your impact last longer than the days you’re in the field. Your support builds more homes, creates resource centers, educates families, and advances our projects to build sustainable communities. We’ll even provide tools to make fundraising easy. Take the GV Challenge – join us in sharing our story and building a better world.

Team leaders
Zack and Jolene will co-lead this trip. Zack is a small business owner and avid sailor. He first visited Nepal as a study abroad student in 1999. He is actively involved with Habitat for Humanity in Oregon and has participated in Global Village trips to Romania and Thailand. 

This will be Jolene’s seventh Global Village build. She has led or joined builds throughout Europe and Latin America. Jolene is a retired math teacher from Minnesota and when the weather is nice you will most likely find her gardening. They are looking for team members who are adventurous and share their passion for giving back, all while making new friends and experiencing a new culture. For more information, contact them at zjnepal@gmail.com.