Mel George, Katie Hughes and Heather Binns joined IndiaBUILDS for an unforgettable volunteer experience

Last month three women from Portland headed to Bangalore, India, bringing tennis shoes instead of sandals, long, durable pants instead of shorts and two pairs of work gloves each. They flew 27 hours not for a normal vacation, but to take part in Habitat for Humanity’s IndiaBUILDS. Launched in 2006, this ambitious five-year campaign aims to provide shelter and stability for 50,000 families. As part of the campaign, 62 women from varied backgrounds set off for India including Mel George, Katie Hughes and Heather Binns.

This unique Women Build kicked off on March 8^th, International Women’s Day. Volunteers celebrated this day with hundreds of rural and underprivileged Indian women who were each a part of microfinance groups. In India, these microfinance groups lend women the opportunity to join together and save money. This is where Habitat steps in, allowing women the opportunity to purchase homes, creating a cycle of homeownership for women, instead of just men, something unheard of India.

Volunteers worked alongside their homeowners, getting to know the people in the community well over the course of the build. “To have the opportunity to work with families in need, and empower women and girls all around was an incredible and emotional experience,” says Mel. “There are no female masons in India, so working alongside skilled masonry experts often turned heads. Habitat for Humanity is not as well known in India as in the United States, so it was crucial to use every opportunity to raise awareness within the community.”

The majority of homeowner partners were single mothers, widows or women-headed households. Mel, Heather and Katie’s team worked alongside homeowner partners Sheela and Natarajan. They share their current home—one room and a small kitchen—with their 18-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter. For the equivalent of $20/month, Sheela works long hours at a garment factory to provide for her family. Natarajan is a carpenter by trade, but due to his chronic asthma and other health issues, he is unable to work.

At the beginning of each day, the 62 rambunctious women loaded into three buses and headed out to a community called Hedge Nagar, just outside of Bangalore. They rode down dusty roads, waving to school children and adults alike, who were all in awe of the buses of women rolling through their town. They arrived in a coconut grove, unloaded and headed out by foot to the 15 houses they were working on. During the day, some would dig, some would haul gravel. Others would mix concrete or move 13 kg concrete blocks. All, though, would aim to finish their house, working hard while laughing and joking, sharing food and songs with the neighbors who couldn’t help but stop and stare. At the end of the day, the Habitat volunteers walked back to the coconut grove, high-fiving kids, smiling at adults, exhausted after a long day’s work.

It was a wonderful learning experience for both the volunteers and the homeowners. When asked how she felt about the Women Build volunteers, Sheela said, “We are so surprised and happy to see educated people from different countries helping us to build our house. I always thought that the uneducated do the labor work and the educated enjoy the fruits of our labor. Today the volunteers helping us build our home have helped us gain greater esteem in our community in addition to providing dignity to our existence.”

Twenty-one women received the annual Orchid Awards and four were also recognized as Business Women of the Year, as well as winning an Orchid Award. In addition to Day TenEyck being chosen as the Woman Executives of the Year for Nonprofits, the Woman Entrepreneur of the Year was Joan Austin, developer of The Allison Inn and Spa in Newberg and co-founder of A-Dec, also in Newberg; Woman Executive of the Year for Small and Medium Business was Irene Firmat, co-founder and CEO of Hood River’s Full Sail Brewing Co.; and Woman Executive of the Year for Large Business was Tamara Lundgren, CEO of Schnitzer Steel Industries Inc. Lundgren was also the keynote speaker for the annual Women in Business event.

Read more about these amazing women who are changing our community for the better at the Portland Business Journal.

Patricia Day TenEyck, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Oregon, was chosen as a 2010 Orchid Award Winner by the Portland Business Journal. This award celebrates the achievements of 25 outstanding women in business. A Women in Business Awards Luncheon will be held on April 8, 2010 to honor the winners.

2010 Orchid Award Winners

Joan Austin, The Allison Inn & Spa and A-dec Inc.

Barbara Baker, Umpqua Holdings Corp.

Betty Lou Carrier, Betty Lou’s Inc.

Jennifer Conley, Rhino Consulting

Diane DeAutremont, Lile International Companies

Anita Decker, Bonneville Power Administration

Jill Eiland, Intel Corp.

Monica Enand, Zapproved, Inc.

Irene Firmat, Full Sail Brewing Co.

Kim Haines, Portland Style Cheesecakes

Judith Johansen, Marylhurst University

Gayle Kellman, Schoolhouse Supplies

Tamara Lundgren, Schnitzer Steel Industries

Jill Nelson, Ruby Receptionists

Barbara Palmer, US Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management

Barbara Radler, Ball Janik LLP

Francine Read, Voices Inc.

Narce Rodriguez, PCC Rock Creek

April Sanderson, Wells Fargo Private Bank

Lynne Hume Saxton, ChristieCare

Patricia Smith, Unitus Community Credit Union

Patricia Day TenEyck, Habitat for Humanity of Oregon

Nita Werner, Ornelas Enterprises Inc.

Angelique Whitlow, Talbot, Korvola & Warwick LLP

DJ Wilson, KGW Media Group

Affordable Housing Issues in Oregon

Hosted by

Habitat for Humanity Oregon

Habitat for Humanity of Oregon is a nonpartisan organization and thus we support no party or platform.  Our intentions with this debate would be to raise visibility of the issue and the vast impact housing has on society and our economy.

Declared Candidates:

Businessman Allen Alley (R)

Former Secretary of State Bill Bradbury (D)

Chris Dudley (R),

Former Governor John Kitzhaber (D)

Former OR State Senator John Lim (R)

Founder of Soloflex Jerry Wilson (Progressive)

Debate Format/Logistics:

Dates: Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Time: Debate will be from 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm

City: Portland

Venue: TBA – at least 250 – 300 seats; attached space for an invitation only reception after the debate

Length: 90 minutes total;

• Habitat Spokesperson opens event, introduces topic, candidates and moderator (7 – 10 minutes) and then concludes the event after debate (2 minutes).
• Each candidate given 1 minute to answer each question; each candidate given a 3 – 5 minute closing statement.

Type: Single Moderator with prepared questions, some questions from audience via “question cards,” also questions from internet audience.  Questions vetted before being given to moderator.

Moderator: Mr. Rey Ramsey has agreed to moderate the debate.

Questions: The majority of questions will be submitted to the candidates at least two weeks before the debate/forum. Approximately 10% of the questions will come from the audience on the night of the event (the questions will go through a vetting process before being given to the moderator.  There will be no questions straight from the floor)

Opening Order: To be determined by the drawing of straws. Order would then be changed for each question.

Broadcast Options: If possible, partner with local television station and/or radio station to broadcast debate.  With or without a television partner, we will arrange to have a live internet podcast broadcast around the state.  This would allow for internet audience members to submit questions to be put to the candidates during the actual debate.

Post Debate: An invitation only reception after the debate (from 7:30 – 9:00 pm) for approximately 100-150 people including the candidates.

Endorsments:

Senator Jeff Merkley,

Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish,

Promise King, Oregon League of Minority Voters

Victor Merced, Oregon Housing and Community Services

Janet Bryd, Oregon Housing Alliance

Michael Anderson, Oregon Opportunity Network

League of Women Voters of Oregon

Larry Wallack, Dean of College of Urban Studies, PSU

Mark Nelson (has agreed to contact Republican Candidates for us)

Mark Waller, Bridgeworks Capital

All those I have spoken with have assured me they will publicly endorse the debate, as well.

Contacted – no response yet:

Oregon Democratic Party

Oregon Republican Party

Jerry Wilson, Progressive Party Candidate

Firstly, I would like to thank God for giving us the best thing for our family. We have a very warm family. We are not rich but my parents try to give me anything that I want. They do their best to get it to me. In fact, the best thing to me is my family, the warmth, the sincerity, love.

Currently, we are living at the row building house. It is used as a church. We have 30-50 members. Most of us are hill-tribe villagers. We are all happy to be with God together.

When we look around us, we only see the best things that God gives our family. We are always praying that one day we will have a secure house. Finally, our wish that we are praying for everyday is coming true through the help of the Jimmy and Roslyn Carter Work Project by Habitat for Humanity.

We pray for all volunteers, staff, and all the neighbors that dedicate their time, they’re kind to our family.  We are very happy to have our own house. God bless you for everything you do.

The love of God.

The Sirivajanakul Family