Global Village Trip to Guatemala
November 02, 2011 at 10:05 AM
In just 3 days, a group of 12 individuals (myself included!) will be traveling to Jutiapa, Guatemala to work with the Habitat affiliate there. From November 5th-12th we will be working with Habitat Guatemala(http://www.habitatguate.org) and will be with the affilate as they celebrate the completion of their 35,000 home built! What an accomplishment!
I am excited to be participating in this trip, especially as I learn more about the country. 51% of the population lives below the poverty line, meaning they lack the income to provide basic goods, services, and food for their families. In addition, the housing deficit in Guatemala is estimated at approximately 1.2 million homes. This means that many families that own their own homes, live in unsuitable living conditions. Those who do not own homes often pay more than half of their monthly income on rent or crowd into homes where several families occupy the same small house or room.
According to Habitat International (http://www.habitat.org/intl/lac/86.aspx) "one of the most significant challenges to housing in Guatemala is access to land. Many low-income families have no legal proof that they own the land they inhabit; in other words, despite having viably purchased or inherited their land, they lack legal tenure. In other cases, informal settlements inhabit property belonging to the state or private enterprise, where families face the daily risk of forced eviction. These properties rarely have basic utilities and are often located in vulnerable areas, such as ravines and river banks."
Having participated in a variety of service learning trips while I was in college, I really appreciate the experience of traveling with a team to learn about a new place while working in partnership with the local community. I expect that this trip will provide me with an opportunity to learn, to grow and to gather a greater understanding about poverty housing and our role in ensuring that affordable housing is a right for all. I look forward to sharing my experience when I return!
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To learn more about the some of the volunteers taking this trip, please visit: http://www.habitatspringfield.org/get-involved/events/2011-global-village-trip-to-sister-affiliate-habitat-guatemala/
****Our office will be open during this trip. However, please note that 3 of our staff members (Jennifer Schimmel/Executive Director, Martha Cutt/Family Services Coordinator and myself/Donor and Volunteer Coordinator) will be going on this trip and will be out of the office from November 5th- Monday, November 21st. Two staff members (Emily Gaylord/Communications and Development Coordinator and Aimee Giroux/Bookkeeper) and several volunteers will be in the office, working hard to ensure that our projects move forward as planned.
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Nicole Williamson
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