Habitat For Humanity – Myanmar Build

I will be travelling as a Global Volunteer to Bago in Myanmar as a part of the Habitat for Humanity Build 2017. For more information on Habitat for Humanity in general and the Bago Project in particular, please see below:

From February 2017, Habitat Myanmar will start welcoming Global Village volunteers to support the implementation of its Bago project, about two to three hours by car from the capital Yangon.

Habitat will work with families, Global Village volunteers, and local partner World Concern to build disaster-resilient houses and sanitary latrines in 15 villages in Thanatpin township, one of the poorest towns in the Bago region. The work also includes the rehabilitation of community ponds, the main water source for villagers. Bago lies directly north of Yangon and is easily accessible by public and private transportation.

Bago facts at a glance

• No. of households: 1.1 million, 23 percent of which are female-headed
• Type of housing: wooden (55 percent), bamboo (30 percent), hut (3 percent), other (12 percent)
• Households without a toilet: 11 percent
• Source of drinking water: 24 percent of households fetch water from unprotected well or spring; pool, pond or lake; river, stream or canal; and waterfall or rainwater
• Source of non-drinking water: 22% use unprotected well or spring; pool, pond or lake; river, stream or canal; and waterfall or rainwater

Habitat For Humanity in Myanmar

Habitat for Humanity was officially registered with the government of Myanmar in 2014 but their involvement in the country began with the response to the devastating Cyclone Nargis in May 2008. Habitat worked with local partners in facilitating early recovery and restored access to food, water, shelter, income and healthcare. Habitat continues to work with donors and partners to build strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter. As of October 2016, more than 3,500 Habitat homeowners are able to build a better life for themselves and their families.