View from a Habitat Team Leader: A lot has happened in 2015

View from a Habitat Team Leader: A lot has happened in 2015: I know it has been some time since I last posted a comment, but after returning from The Philippines I was astounded to find that I could no...

A lot has happened in 2015

I know it has been some time since I last posted a comment, but after returning from The Philippines I was astounded to find that I could not get another project with Habitat for 2015.

It would appear that due to policy changes within the organisation, they were cutting down on "open" trips and concentrating on "closed" trips and offering far fewer destinations or available projects. I have my own view on this but I just hope that some day soon they will return to the core values and set Global Village back on a track to giving a hand up, not a hand out.

That said, I am not one to give up. I love engaging with people to work with those less fortunate than ourselves. I revel in working with local people in developing countries and helping them to make a better life for themselves.

To that end I contacted "Developing World Connections" a Canadian organisation that was happy to take me on-board as a team leader.

I felt that I should join a team and learn a bit about this organisation before putting a team of my own together. So I joined another ex-Habitat leader on his project in Guatemala for DWC.

In August I headed off to Guatemala to join the team from Canada:

The object was to build a kitchen for and organisation involved in educating the local kids and also feeding them which is an important element of there operation. "Open Windows". But alongside that we installed eco-stoves in about 20 homes in a local village. Not only that but some of the team ran an eye test clinic fitting children and locals with glasses donated by a Laser Eye clinic in Canada. Whilst others ran craft projects with the children.

The kitchen was to be built in the grounds of the school and will be used to prepare and cook the meals for the children. They are currently prepared under a makeshift cover in the open yard.

But with the help of the team, the foundations were dug

And walls were built. This is an ongoing project and more teams will be in to complete what we started.

 

As for the eco-stoves. These were to replace the open fires that the locals use to cook on. The home owners were suffering from smoke inhalation and in fact the children suffer even more and sometimes die as a result. This picture is typical of the stove system used.

The families were tested on a Lung Capacity Machine and the results recorded for comparison when tested again after 6 months of using the new eco-stove

The new stoves come in sections and are installed by two people as they are made of concrete.

But once installed and the family are shown how to use them, they are clean, no smoke in the house, less fuel used which either saves a long trek to collect wood or money if they purchase their fuel.

Oh yes and there is always trouble on site wherever you go.

The two weeks passed so quickly. We had taken time out to climb a volcano, visit a very large market and chill out at a thermal spa. But best of all, we had made a difference to the lives of local families. And that's what it is all about.

Whilst traveling we came across a lake that had been flooded the previous year by a hurricane and the water level never went back down as it is a lake without an exit to a river. Those stranded by the rise in water had to move inland.

At the end of the project the team headed home to Canada. But yours truly hadn't finished his travels.

I headed to Nicaragua to meet up with a very good friend and ex-Habitat leader "Mateo" He lives in Costa Rica running his mission to help the poor of Honduras as well as helping another NGO in Nicaragua.

We had agreed to meet in Nicaragua so he could introduce me to the guys there who were trying to eradicate poverty housing and working on a project near Leon. This organisation turned out to be The Fuller Center For Housing. An Organisation set up by Millard Fuller the original founder of Habitat for Humanity. And most of the staff here were ex-Habitat members.

Over two days I visited the project they are working on and met some of the families who will benefit from their efforts.

These families currently live in shelters made from corn sticks and plastic sheeting. Employment is virtually non existent and most of the men are part time fishermen doing whatever they can to try to support their families

The family bellow will be benefiting from the next build project which will start in November 2015.

And this is a typical Fuller Center house.

Needless to say, I was being set up. Mateo knew that I could not let something like this pass me by. So following a telephone conversation with the CEO of The Fuller Center to clear up a few queries I had about their operation. I became a team leader for them too.

As they say, one door closes and two others open, or something like that.

So 2016 sees me with two projects in hand. The first is for Developing World Connections and will be in Udaipur Rajasthan India in May and the second is for the Fuller Center and will be in Nicaragua in November/December. Full details are available from my profile page: http://teamleader.myfreesites.net/

After leaving Nicaragua I traveled back to Costa Rica with Mateo for some chill time before heading home to the UK.

I will try to be more diligent with my updates from now on so drop in from time to time if you can.

View from a Habitat Team Leader: Disaster Response trip to The Philippines

View from a Habitat Team Leader: Disaster Response trip to The Philippines: The article below was constructed following an interview between myself and HfH. It was published by Habitat for Humanity and appeared in t...

Disaster Response trip to The Philippines

The article below was constructed following an interview between myself and HfH. It was published by Habitat for Humanity and appeared in the Global Village Update January 2015. It refers to my project in November and December 2014. I have added a few pictures to illustrate.

  

Building through the storm: Team leader keeps project in check during typhoon

In late November, veteran team leader Ray Fowell took 13 volunteers on a disaster recovery mission to Daanbantayan, Cebu, Philippines.

They came with the intent of helping with Typhoon Haiyan recovery, only to be caught up in Typhoon Hagupit. In his own words, Ray explains how his disaster recovery trip to the Philippines was a unique experience from previous Global Village trips.

You asked how this trip differed from my other projects. I think the fact that we don’t always have to contend with a typhoon descending upon us halfway through the build would be a good place to start.

Before and after Typhoon Hagupit

All projects are mostly the same. The ground is always hard and the digging harder. On this project, one difference was the lack of home owner partners because the properties had not been allocated. But with the understanding of the situation and the fact that this was a disaster relief project, it made little difference to the team.

Juniper (team member) digging foundations

Part of my job as a team leader is to manage the team’s expectations, and as opposed to previous builds, they were very much aware of the situation in the Philippines. It was unfortunate that Typhoon Hagupit (Ruby) disrupted our build. My team understood that the job was to work with the skilled labour and help advance the progress of the build as best they could. I believe they did a fantastic job. Everyone worked within their capabilities and engaged with the local labour, which made it a fun place to be for all involved.

   

Local labourer (man of mystery)

After the Typhoon past through.The team also pulled together and joined the relief efforts in packing food parcels. In fact, they purchased food and water to help the with relief efforts in some small way. 

  

The team packing relief supplies

They also helped load the trucks for distribution to the community and again unloaded them onto the boats at the port.

Everyone on the team wanted to be a part of this exercise and would have done far more if they could. The damage to the Daanbantayan area was minimal so after a couple of days we were back on the build site as if nothing had happened.

Heinrich and Ted loading trucks with relief supplies

On a technical issue, the build in Daanbantayan was the most organized I have worked on. To have plans, drawings and an engineer on-site was unprecedented. It made a pleasant change to see how organized this site was.

 

I think everyone gets something different from Global Village projects. It changes lives and makes some people reflect on their own existence.
   

The fact that these people come back time and time again, raise funds or pay directly from their own pocket, take themselves out of their comfort zone and use what little vacation time they may have to work in an environment that is far removed from their everyday life, to labour in the heat and humidity that they are unused to, says so much about what they take from it.

The team left to right: Ken, Ted, Brian,Tony, Heinrich (Henry), Juniper, Elaine, Gina, Alden, Don, Cameo and Jim. Originating from UK, USA, Switzerland 

As for myself, I gain great satisfaction in knowing that I in some small way have affected someone else’s life, hopefully for the better. Not only for the home owners, but also the team members. I want them to take something from the experience and promote the cause, either by volunteering hometown or by encouraging others to take up the Global Village challenge. I am sure they also go home with a greater understanding of the lives of the people they help. That is what drives me to lead teams and take on Habitat projects throughout the world. It is the people, the kids and the team that makes the package complete.  This was my first build in the Philippines and hope it will not be the last.

  

Me with one of the local children (Paul)

    

That was a published interview with me regarding the teams experience following the Typhoon. 

View from a Habitat Team Leader: Philippines Disaster Response & Recovery Trip

View from a Habitat Team Leader: Philippines Disaster Response & Recovery Trip: Where does the time go . Its been ages since I posted anything on here. In December last year I was in India and then in April this year I...

Philippines Disaster Response & Recovery Trip

Where does the time go.

Its been ages since I posted anything on here. In December last year I was in India and then in April this year I was in Sri Lanka working with a great team to help 5 families achieve a better life and a new home. I will get around to writing it up at some point but there is still a back log of trips to be posted. And of course there is now my new Philippines Disaster Response Project in hand for December 2014.
I have posted the details here in case it reaches someone who would like to take up the challenge and join me on this fantastic adventure.

I know I promised you this trip information months ago but it's not been easy getting this project off the ground. Unlike our standard Global Village trips, the logistics of operating under the "Disaster Response"  banner are far more involved and require a greater level of input from everyone involved both in the American office as well as the Philippines, and then there is me of course stirring it all together form the UK. 

The waiting is now over and the project is a runner. I will endeavour to detail it in the body of this email as this trip will not be going live on the Habitat Web Site.  Again, because of the Disaster Response element of the trip, it is not categorised the same as the standard trips advertised on the web site. Therefore it is only being offered to people on my radar. I know a few of you have already expressed a wish to sign up for this trip and I am thrilled that you want to join me yet again on another adventure. The places are limited so you will need to be quick to sign up, The registration details are explained below because it is not the same as the normal GV process. I would appreciate an email to let me know you are signing on prior to you doing so, just so that I can keep track.

As We know,  Typhoon Haiyan, known as Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines, was one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded, which devastated portions of Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines, on November 8, 2013. It is the deadliest Philippine typhoon on record, killing at least 6,268 people in that country alone. Haiyan is also the strongest storm recorded at landfall, and unofficially the strongest typhoon ever recorded in terms of wind speed. As of January 2014, bodies were still being found.

Whilst a lot of clearing up is still ongoing, we will be involved in helping to rebuild the homes and lives of the people of Daanbantayan on the northern tip of Cebu island facing the Visayan Sea. I will have more details of the exact work schedule nearer the start date.  But you all know what we do and why we do it and at this moment in time I can't think of a more deserving cause than helping rebuild the lives devastated by this Typhoon.

The project dates are: November 28th to December the 12th 2014. Just a year on from that terrible event.  These dates include travel days so as to make certain you are covered by our insurance during your travel as well as in country.  Your arrival day should be Sunday 30th as accommodation is booked from that night onwards. However I would suggest aiming to get in on Saturday. I know that will cost you an extra night but it will be worth it to get over your travel lag. I can arrange the accommodation for the Saturday should you require it. If you are arriving on the Sunday, I will be there at the airport to meet you as usual and make sure you get to the hotel in Cebu. If you are arriving the day before then it is only a short taxi trip into town.

I have not attached a full Itinerary but basically we will drive to the village on Monday. Work through to Friday. Weekend off and then Monday to Thursday returning to Cebu on Thursday evening so you would need to book your exit flights for Friday 12th onwards.

I will be available to talk with you should you require any further information but those that have worked with me before know that the information flow just keeps coming once you have joined the team. Drop me an email and suggest a time to call, don’t forget the time difference, I am in the UK. I will be happy to call you and chat about the project and answer any concerns you may have. Failing that you can ask me your questions via email. rayfowell@gmail.com or call me on +44 798 357 5271. Or Skype me, find me at Raymundo1952

The GV code for this trip. GV15344. The cost of this trip is $2150. I think most of you know what that includes but for those who are unsure, basically everything except your air fare and visa etc.

Well that is it for now, I hope you decide that this is the project for you. It certainly is for me, and as most of you will know, my projects include hard work but a lot of fun.  So come on, make a difference in both your life as well as those we are there to help. I hope to hear from you soon.

View from a Habitat Team Leader: The full story of the fractured leg in Ghana.

View from a Habitat Team Leader: The full story of the fractured leg in Ghana.: I know, it's been a while since my last post. Well I have been busy with other things. House renovation, vacation, Yes, I do get one as...