The European Union-funded “Homes not Houses” project in Sri Lanka provides support for livelihoods beyond masonry.

Thatsanamoorthy, 42, has always been good with his hands but epileptic episodes have left him struggling to use his talents to provide for his family. “I am a skilled mason, but it became dangerous for me to remain in the construction industry because of my illness,” he said.In February 2017, through training provided under the European Union-funded “Homes not Houses” project in Sri Lanka, he was able to turn his sculpting hobby into a livelihood. The training was part of the flanking measures provided by Habitat’s implementing partner, World Vision Sri Lanka.

Thatsanamoorthy also received a small grant to buy molds and raw materials to start his own business at his home in Kokkadichcholai, Batticaloa, Eastern Province. Besides making ornate pottery and grills for businesses and homes, he also supplies nearby temples during religious festivals.

He is grateful that he can make a living while being safe and near his family. “I don’t know what I would have done without the training and support I have received. I can now watch my daughter grow while earning an income too.”

While Manoharan, 45, and Kandeepan, 39, have continued as masons, they have been able to upgrade their skills through Habitat’s training in the use of compressed stabilized earth blocks, an appropriate construction material with a low carbon footprint. A feasibility study published by the European Union has cited compressed stabilized earth blocks as a low-carbon, low embodied energy solution for sustainable development.

“As a mason, I wanted to do everything with my own hands. I am so proud that I was able to lay every block, every tile, and install every frame and all doors and windows of our home,” Kandeepan said. But nothing beats fulfilling his wife’s wish. “Along with the grant from Habitat, I invested my own funds to build an extra space outside the kitchen for my wife. She likes the color blue and has always wanted a blue kitchen,” he said.

With the support of Habitat Sri Lanka’s technical officer, he was able to meet his personal construction deadline and his family moved into their new home in Killinochchi, Northern Province, in January 2021, considered an auspicious month of new beginnings.

For Manoharan, his sense of fulfilment came from building a home for his parents in their sunset years. After being displaced during Sri Lanka’s decades-long civil war, his parents, Vairamuththu, 89, and Vairamuthi, 80, found it hard to build a life even after the conflict ended in 2009. Their property and important documents were either destroyed or could not be found and they depended on the government to provide temporary shelter.

“I spent nearly 10 years without much hope,” his mother Vairamuthi said. She also struggled to care for his father Vairamuththu who was paralyzed after a stroke. Due to loss of contact and distance from other children, their only source of support is Manoharan who lives with them.

With the training that he received in 2018 under the “Homes not Houses” project, Manoharan could continue to build their home in Mullaitivu, Northern Province, amid the pandemic. After moving into their home in January 2021, Vairamuthi said, “We’re very proud that our son is part of a new movement to save the environment. This is truly a very comfortable, clean and well-ventilated home. I thank the gods every day for providing us this comfort, after many years of hardships. At least, at the end of our lives, we can finally sleep well at night.”

In addition to masonry training, Habitat Sri Lanka has provided livelihood opportunities to craftsmen, builders and workers. Thiyagalingam, 52, was one of the first individuals trained to operate block-producing machines in 2016 at the inception of the “Homes not Houses” project. For the last three years, he has been maintaining the machines in Habitat’s yard that produces compressed stabilized earth blocks in Batticaloa, Eastern Province.

As a senior trainer with five years of experience, he provides orientation to new employees and works with technical officer Vinod, 27, who is responsible for checking the quality of the blocks produced at the yard. “I am particularly happy that this project has enabled people with disabilities to be engaged in income-generating employment,” Thiyagalingam said.

Through the use of appropriate construction technology and materials in the “Homes not Houses” project, people in the community including women have gained an unique skill. That edge can help improve living standards, Thiyagalingam said. He added, “I am proud that I am among the first to promote appropriate construction technology in Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province and I hope that the commercial use of CSEBs will continue and flood the market.”

Through the European Union-funded “Homes not Houses” project, conflict-affected Sri Lankan families are able to cope in a time of pandemic and look to the future

As she recalls her years of displacement during Sri Lanka’s civil war, Selvam, 32, wants to protect her 13-year-old daughter from such an experience. Selvam shared, “I had no privacy in the refugee camps and felt extremely vulnerable. I do not want my daughter to go through that.” Her own mother Anandamma still bears the burnt marks on her body—a lasting reminder of the decades-long conflict.

Her family could finally put the past behind them now that they have a safe, secure home. As of January 2021, they are among 2,105 families who have partnered with Habitat Sri Lanka and World Vision Sri Lanka in the European Union-funded “Homes not Houses” project. A total of 2,366 homes are expected to be completed by mid-2021.

Over 45% of the homes were built with the use of appropriate construction technology and locally available materials such as compressed stabilized earth blocks. A feasibility study published by the European Union has cited compressed stabilized earth blocks as a low-carbon, low embodied energy solution for sustainable development.

Selvam and her extended family of six had moved into their new home in Maavadiyamman, Killinochchi district, Sri Lanka’s Northern Province, in December 2019. They were able to safely and comfortably shelter in place following a three-month lockdown in March 2020. Built with compressed stabilized earth blocks, their home was cool, well-ventilated and spacious enough for the family to quarantine together and for Selvam’s daughter Lavanya to have her own room. In addition, the children can better concentrate on their studies.

The economic fallout from Sri Lanka’s first lockdown, which lasted three months till end-June, had affected daily wage workers like Selvam and her relatives. “During the COVID lockdown, my family and my in-laws lost income and were struggling for meals,” she said. In August 2020, she received emergency financial assistance under the “Homes not Houses” project that enabled her to start a vegetable garden for her family’s food supply.

A stable home has also helped improve familial relationships. “Miracles happened here!” Selvam said. “Ever since I moved into the new house, my mother and mother-in-law have become closer and they are now both supportive of me!”

Her mother-in-law Vadivelu, 60, was so impressed with Selvam’s home that she also built her house using compressed stabilized earth blocks. “I have always wanted a big house as I have a big family and many grandchildren. I want all of them to be able to visit me and stay over,” Vadivelu said. Her favorite part of her house is the front door for which she spent an additional 45,000 Sri Lankan rupees (US$225). “I want the front door to be made out of the best quality wood. The entrance to the house is very important; it should make a statement.”

In another part of Killinochchi, Sivaluxmi, 60, had looked forward to having a stable home after a lifetime of fleeing from the civil war and struggling for survival after her husband’s death.

She was in the midst of building her home when the Sri Lankan government declared a nationwide lockdown in March 2020 to curb the spread of the coronavirus. “I was frustrated that the pandemic slowed everything down,” she said.

She did not have to the bear the anxiety alone because Habitat Sri Lanka’s staff kept in touch with her to provide updates on the lockdown situation.

The project’s homeowner-driven strategy, which enabled her to manage available resources and build at her own pace, helped Sivaluxmi and her family to cope. Having received masonry skills training from Habitat Sri Lanka, her only son Thananjan, 30, was able to accelerate the pace of construction of their home.

By January 2021, Sivaluxmi and her family were ready for the next phase in their lives. “Habitat made sure that I had a new home ready for moving in by this auspicious month,” she said. “I have always wanted a stable home and a daughter. My son will be married soon and I am looking forward to welcoming a daughter into our home. I am grateful to the gods above for making my wishes come true, one by one.”

Displaced during the 30-year civil war in Sri Lanka, the families who partnered with Habitat in the EU-funded project are able to provide a secure, comfortable home for the future generation.

Once Ushathevi and her family had to keep fleeing the shelling that came down like rain in Sri Lanka. Now she can rest under the shade of mango trees in her home garden. It is a luxury that her grandchild can also enjoy.

Her family was the first to build their home in Vilawedduwan village, Batticaloa province, in 2017 with compressed stabilized earth blocks, an appropriate construction material that provides thermal comfort. They were among nearly 1,070 families who have built such homes by late November 2020 through the European Union-funded “Homes not Houses” project in eastern and northeastern Sri Lanka. The project is implemented by Habitat Sri Lanka and World Vision Sri Lanka.

When Ushathevi and her family opened the doors to their new home in 2017, they finally closed the chapter on years of displacement and uncertainty due to the 30-year ethnic war in Sri Lanka. After a decade of moving from one refugee camp to another, a secure home of their own meant they could put down roots and plan for a brighter future.

Since moving into a permanent, secure home three years ago, their family income has at least doubled to 1,000 Sri Lankan rupees (over US$5) a day with yields from her garden of fruit such as oranges and mangoes as well as crops of beans and peanuts. They have also added one bedroom to accommodate the eldest son Akash and new daughter-in-law.

In the same village, Anjalithevi is nurturing a new life in her family after becoming a homeowner in 2018 through the EU project. She gave birth to her second son Sarwin, now 12 months old, in 2020. “My children love their bedroom where it is spacious and cool. They don’t use a fan even during the day,” she said. “I’m extremely happy that the children are growing in a healthy environment.”

Over the last two years, her husband Allimuththu’s income has improved. As a carpenter, he used to earn between 250 and 1,000 Sri Lankan rupees daily from working with hotels, schools and small shops. By providing carpentry work needed for the homes that Habitat Sri Lanka is building under the “Homes not Houses” project, his earnings has more than doubled to between 1,500 and 2,500 Sri Lankan rupees daily. “We want to improve our carpentry business. I also hope to invest in a new sewing machine so I can earn some income,” Anjalithevi said.

As of November 30, 2020, Habitat Sri Lanka has completed 1,959 out of 2,366 new and repaired homes under the EU-funded project. Another 293 houses are in the process of being certified as completed. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the physical inspections by the District Secretariat that are necessary for certifying the house completion have been delayed.

Work on the project was also paused for a few months to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in accordance with the Sri Lankan government’s regulations. Habitat Sri Lanka, through reallocated funds donated by the EU, provided a one-time cash grant of 12,000 Sri Lankan rupees each to 1,986 future homeowners to tide them over.

For Yogendra, a 43-year-old housewife, moving into a decent house in 2018 in Vilawedduwan village has helped her family to cope amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “The biggest impact was the fact that our family could sell eggs and make a living even during the lockdown.”

Her daughter Thenuja, 14, appreciates their Habitat home for a different reason: more space to gather neighbors’ children together for a time of learning. Their old home was simply too small to accommodate the children who needed tutoring from Thenuja. In the afternoon, it can get too hot for the children to sit outdoors.

An aspiring teacher, Thenuja conducts daily study classes in their living room that is cool and comfortable. “My little brother is the naughtiest but he still pretends to study,” she quipped. As an encouragement, she shared: “Everyone must educate themselves fervently, so that they may live useful lives for their home, community and country.”

MANILA (January 14, 2021) — Young leaders showed strong support for the 2021 Habitat Young Leaders Build campaign despite the tenth annual edition being launched in a new normal. Without in-person activities — characteristic of previous campaigns launched on International Volunteer Day, December 5 — youth supporters tapped into social media to raise awareness and rally their peers to support the cause of decent, affordable housing.

‘X’, the roman numeral for ‘10’, was aptly used in social media graphics for the campaign’s largely virtual launch. More than 400 posts with a total reach of almost 630,000 online audiences were registered on December 5 alone. Besides using a custom Facebook frame, supporters shared photos and stories online to highlight the positive impacts of decent housing on families and communities as well as the benefits gained from volunteering on Habitat builds.

Other activities included:

JAPAN: Habitat’s campus chapters organized an online educational series on Habitat’s work and the Sustainable Development Goals and discussions on volunteer safety as well as volunteering virtually.

SINGAPORE: a total of 26 volunteers from the Hwa Chong Institution, Raffles Institution and Yale-NUS Habitat campus chapters helped five older people to clean their homes during a Project HomeWorks activity.

INDIA: more than 1,700 participants cumulatively ran more than 10,000 kilometers in 10 cities during ‘VolRUNteer.’ The event was organized by Habitat India to raise awareness of the campaign as well as funds for its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since December, over 50 young leaders have raised at least 100,000 Indian rupees (over US$1,300) each through ‘VolRUNteer’ and crowdfunding sites.

INDONESIA: a virtual meeting called ‘RUMAH’ (meaning ‘house’ in Indonesian) marked the campaign’s launch with participants representing United Nations Volunteers and Habitat in Indonesia and the Philippines as well as academe. One of the youth speakers, Jacqueline Handoyo, declared: “I absolutely love Habitat. The day I volunteered for them was the day I discovered that my true purpose in life is bigger than myself. It gives me a reason in life to wake up every morning and to work hard because there’s a world out there that needs nurturing and needs our help. I truly fell in love with helping people in need and felling true fulfillment/gratitude through giving.” After taking part in ‘RUMAH,’ Hannah Dermawan and Louisa Nakamura, both 15, have started raising funds to improve a house and a school in Jakarta.

The following week, Habitat Indonesia co-hosted a virtual “HFI Volunteer Appreciation Night” with Humanitarian Forum Indonesia, a collaboration of non-governmental organizations. About 50 people joined the online event (in Bahasa Indonesia) that aimed to highlight youth volunteering activities that support humanitarian efforts including responses to COVID-19 and disasters in the country.

Following the virtual event, Habitat Indonesia conducted the Chandra Asri leadership training for 80 people — all wearing masks amid physical distancing and other measures — in Anyer, Banten. The participants drafted 16 project proposals that address their community’s concerns, namely the need to improve the youth’s employability and to promote the community’s agricultural products in online marketplaces.

Philippines: seven campus chapters based in Metro Manila organized a webinar, “Beyond the Concrete,” ahead of the campaign launch to highlight the impact of housing from a multi-sectoral perspective and to empower the youth to take action. The spotlight also turned on a student-initiated fundraising drive, “Bigay Bukas”. Funds raised will be used to help provide school supplies and tools to support distance learning of children living in communities where Habitat works.

On December 5, a video featuring young leaders making the case for the cause of housing kicked off the campaign. “What we are building is not just the houses for people to live in but also the community they can stay and also the opportunities for their future,” said Rita Galvez, president of Habitat’s University of the Philippines Diliman campus chapter.

The multi-month #HabitatYLB campaign will continue with a regional virtual volunteer conference in February 2020.  Some of Asia-Pacific’s most passionate champions for the cause of housing will come together to discuss shelter issues and create action plans to mobilize the youth to support Habitat’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in their countries. Follow Habitat Young Leaders Build on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more details.

Ashish’s life might have taken a different course if his parents had not built a new home with Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh. Without decent shelter, they would still be afraid whenever the weather turns bad. Ashish’s young son would also have to do his homework on the bed, as his father had done for many years.

But a safe, secure home laid the foundation for a better life. “I was the unemployed son of a poor family. Today, I have social standing and a decent life. It was possible because of Habitat’s support. My family and I will always be grateful,” said Ashish who lives in Raghurampur Majhipara, a village in north-central Mymensingh district. 

He recalled that in 2000, nearly two decades ago, Habitat Bangladesh’s staff were in his village to survey housing needs. His parents could not afford to repair their windowless bamboo house after it had been badly damaged by a storm. So they approached Habitat Bangladesh for help in rebuilding their home.

With the help of a kind neighbor, Ashish’s parents were able to make a down payment of 3,000 taka (over US$35) for a five-year housing loan. Together with two other families, they became the first Habitat homeowners in Mymensingh. 

As Ashish was already 22, he and his parents each needed their own rooms. They took loans to provide the additional construction materials for building a 27-square-meter house that was bigger than Habitat’s core houses in Bangladesh.

Although he wanted to be a doctor, he stopped his studies at the age of 16 after his grade 10 examinations. He gave private tuition to supplement his family’s income. With the money he earned, Ashish was able to buy food and pay for household expenses. He could also afford new clothing for his parents for religious festivities.

When Habitat Bangladesh started building more homes in his community, Ashish’s life began to change. To improve the rate of repayment, Ashish was hired by Habitat Bangladesh in 2001 to monitor and collect monthly repayments from families. In August 2005, he became a construction supervisor with Habitat when the new position was created.

“That was a new beginning for me as I had a new meaning in life,” Ashish recalls. With a stable job, he could repay the loans his family had taken to build a larger house and buy appliances and furniture on hire purchase.

He became the bread winner when his father Himangshu Chandra, who had typhoid, lost his source of income. “All the responsibilities of the household fell on my shoulders.”

When Ashish turned 30, he delayed his arranged marriage so as to expand the house and install a tube well. He married Orchona in 2010 and they have two children Aditta and Rakhi, aged 7 and 2 respectively.

Despite having to provide for his family and caring for his mother who has health problems, he was able to further his education. In 1998, Ashish enrolled in a government polytechnic and completed a diploma course in engineering. Ten years later, he obtained his Bachelor’s degree in social science. In 2018, he graduated with a Masters degree in development studies from a public university.

After two decades of involvement, Ashish identifies with the cause of secure, affordable housing. “I will continue to take personal responsibility for achieving the mission and vision of Habitat.”

MANILA (Nov. 9, 2020) — In commemoration of World Habitat Day, October 5, a livestream was organized by Habitat for Humanity in support of its global fundraising campaign, Homes, Communities, Hope + You. The webinar, “Is housing the secret to economic recovery from COVID-19?”, focused on the housing sector as a key economic driver and how different stakeholders could foster affordable and inclusive housing markets.

The webinar also coincided with the release of the Habitat-commissioned report, Cornerstone of Recovery: How Housing Can Help Emerging Market Economies Rebound from COVID-19. The study revealed how emerging economies that have been struggling amid the COVID-19 pandemic may be significantly underestimating the housing sector’s contribution to their respective gross domestic products. As a result, these countries could be missing opportunities for economic and social revival.

On social media, Habitat’s various national organizations in the Asia-Pacific region promoted the livestream, key findings of the Cornerstone report, relevant housing data, and the webinar panelists. Other content including videos, stories, and photos were also shared.

A summary of some related activities is given below:

• In an opinion-editorial, Rajan Samuel, managing director of Habitat India, homed in on the vulnerable Irula tribal community and their critical need for housing. In tackling land tenure and housing, he advocated partnering with the Indian government and community-based organizations and actively engaging the community.
• A webinar organized by Habitat Nepal was well-received by 85 participants including local town officials. The event also helped to connect the policymakers and the youth, who were positioned as changemakers in addressing issues related to COVID-19 and housing.
• Habitat Singapore’s event, Cycle Out Poverty, raised almost S$18,000 (about US$13,100) to build homes for vulnerable families on Indonesia’s Batam Island.
• In Hong Kong, Habitat worked with a corporate partner, Raze, in raising awareness and funding support for the former’s home sanitizing projects.
• Habitat Philippines aligned their fundraising campaign, Together We Rise, with Urban October celebrations. Together with Habitat’s Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter, they hosted ‘BAHAYnihan: Rising Together through Housing,’ an online forum to raise awareness of the housing needs of the country and its unserved population, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The secretary of the Philippines’ Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development, Eduardo Del Rosario, led panelists from key housing organizations in the country. A new report, “Impact of COVID-19 on the low-income housing market systems in the Philippines” was also launched at the event.

Marking International Volunteer Day in the year 2020 will be different, not least because of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the health and economic crises have profoundly affected the way Habitat for Humanity operates, the positive impact of volunteers continues. In Japan, where Habitat has been mobilizing volunteers since 2001, some supporters share their stories.

Mami Maruyama had always been interested in international volunteering. Then a freshman, she took action after hearing Habitat campus chapter members share about their enjoyable Global Village experiences. “I thought, ‘if I join the campus chapter, I could gain broader perspectives from the members,’ ” says Mami, 33. Her first overseas volunteering trip was to India in the summer of 2006 with another build in Bangladesh.

“As a program, Global Village is sustainable and I can understand why it is needed,” says Mami who is currently a volunteer coordinator with Habitat Japan. By sharing their stories, Habitat volunteers encourage their friends and others to join the Global Village program. Working alongside volunteers, future homeowners demonstrate self-reliance by contributing their ‘sweat’ equity, or own labor. After gaining construction skills, some homeowners go on to help others in their community to build homes.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly curtailed volunteer activity, Habitat volunteers can take advantage of the pause. They can focus on housing issues in Japan to realize Habitat’s vision of a world everyone has a decent place to live, Mami suggests. “No matter when the GV program resumes, there are always housing issues in Japan. Habitat Japan should keep or even develop the current Project HomeWorks to respond to vulnerable individuals in need of decent homes. It would be great if Habitat Japan can extend a helping hand when the next big disaster happens.”

Like many campus chapter members, Chika Tagawa, 21, supports Habitat Japan because of an interest in overseas builds. With the suspension of volunteer builds, she thinks it may be difficult to sustain campus chapters’ interest. But local volunteering activities provide an opportunity to raise awareness of the housing issues in one’s own home country.

Project HomeWorks has changed her thinking, Chika says of the program that mobilizes volunteers to improve the living conditions of vulnerable people in Japan. “Before getting involved, it seemed like housing issues were someone else’s problem. Through communicating with the homeowners, I realized that anyone could face such problems.”

“I think this pandemic is our chance to realize and appreciate that home is where we can live comfortably. I do have a regret that I’m not able accomplish my goals for this year. But it has been a precious time for me to rethink the importance of having a decent place to live.”

Chika reminisced about the first and last time — before Global Village builds were put on hold — she worked on a house in Indonesia in 2019. “During the trip, I felt I received more than what I gave to the homeowner family and the people in the community. This is why most Global Village teams shared their experiences with others, to give something back to the community, so that more could join the program to build decent homes.”

According to Mami, Japan needs to address issues such as rebuilding homes after natural disasters, homelessness, and an increase in vacant houses in the suburbs. She did her part by coordinating volunteers in Habitat’s response to the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan as well as the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake response.

While not all campus chapter members can afford to go on a Global Village trip, they may also find it hard to take time off after joining the workforce. Mami shares: “As a campus chapter alumni, I would like to help solve housing issues in Japan. There are also many alumni who would like to contribute to their local communities. If more and more campus chapter alumni can join Habitat Japan again, we can expand our network to reach more people in need of decent homes in this country.”

One such alumnus is Ryota Matsumoto, 23, who described himself as a ‘retired’ campus chapter member. He was a freshman in the University of Tsukuba when he had his first taste of a Global Village build. Recalling his 2018 experience in Myanmar, he says: “Everyone — homeowner family, people in the community, international volunteers — worked hard together toward the same goal. It built a strong connection and that was most memorable for me.” He was among 74 volunteers from Japan who took part in Asia Build 2018 under the Habitat Young Leaders Build campaign.

In sharing their experiences and learnings from Global Village builds, campus chapter members helped to inspire a new generations of youth volunteers. With the suspension of volunteer builds, Habitat Japan’s connection with campus chapters may be affected, Ryota notes. To cement ties, he suggested that Habitat Japan raises awareness of how youth can be involved in its program and discuss collaboration opportunities with campus chapters. “To overcome these challenging times, the connection or relationship between Habitat Japan and campus chapters should be solid to continue the mission.”