Wear Green and Blue to Celebrate World Habitat Day Tomorrow!

World Habitat Day emphasizes the dire need for adequate shelter for all.
This year’s focus for World Habitat Day is smarter planning to cope with the demands of rapid urbanization, as cities and towns feel the effects of climate change, resource depletion, population growth and economic instability.
Please join Habitat for Humanity International – Bangladesh and participate in a symbolic campaign of NIL SHOBUJER BHALOBASHA, by wearing green and blue on October 5th. Email a photograph of yourself, your friends or colleagues dressed up in green and blue and it will be displayed on the Habitat Bangladesh website.
We need to take conscious action! Join Habitat Bangladesh in the campaign to eliminate substandard housing throughout Bangladesh.
Send your photos not more than 1 MB in size to: habitatbdrd@yahoo.com

United in Spirit, Strategy and Service

~ Habitat Bangladesh Staff Retreat 2009

Habitat For Humanity International – Bangladesh (HFHI-B) is set to serve 10,000 families within the next three years.

In August over 60 HFHI-B staff members from around the country attended the annual retreat in Savar to share emerging developments and challenges, and to discuss a new direction for the organization.

“United in Spirit, Strategy and Service” was the theme of the retreat, providing an opportunity for staff to become familiar with the new strategic direction; unpacking the detail (ki?), why we are changing (Keno?) and how we hope to achieve the vision over the next three years (kibhabe?).

The Strategic Plan until Fiscal Year 2012 will improve building technologies, adapt repayment schedules to ensure affordability, establish strong partnerships, secure further funding and alternate support and strengthen internal work practices.

More specifically, HFHI-B is aiming to attract a dedicated Advisory Board of nine diverse and influential members who will actively advocate for HFHI-B. It is essential to receive guidance from experienced community leaders in order to further engage with government, business and academia.

HFHI-B will engage in participatory market research in order to increase expertise in building and construction. Research will focus on product design development, such as load-bearing blocks and prototype houses to ensure appropriate, affordable, sustainable products and services for our target population.

A major new activity for Habitat Bangladesh is the emergence of mutually benefiting partnerships. In essence, partnerships aim to enable HFHI-B to serve more families - whereby partner organizations take a direct (Implementing Partnerships) or supporting role (Non-Implementing Partnerships) in Habitat projects.

At the Savar retreat, staff provided valuable feedback on the expected effectiveness of Habitat Bangladesh’s evolving direction. The consensus was that the delivery of every HFHI-B mission focus will be significantly improved after the implementation of the FY12 Plan.

National Director Kelly Koch believe the retreat was “a great opportunity to be all together but it’s only the beginning. However it is just one forum for unity – let’s continue the communication, discussion and action throughout the year.”

The more immediate focus – the 2010 Fiscal Year plan - includes serving 1,500 families - 30% through implementing partnerships, reducing the impact of disasters in vulnerable communities, offering engaging CSR opportunities and developing research and appropriate technologies.

Habitat Bangladesh conducted an initial assessment in Cyclone Aila affected areas

More than 3 million people have been affected by Cyclone Aila, which struck 14 coastal districts of southern Bangladesh on the 25th of May 2009. A total of 167 people were killed and 7,108 people injured. The cyclone caused the destruction of estimated 225,000 houses and the partial destruction of 337,000 houses.

As an immediate step, Habitat for Humanity International – Bangladesh (HFHI-B) completed an initial assessment of the situation. The assessment team visited the most affected four districts - Bagerhat, Jessore, Khulna and Satkhira and collected information through direct observation, discussion with affected community members, held meetings with local government, other stakeholders and NGOs, and took photographs of the affected areas.

During the assessment, a need for short and long term shelter assistance has been identified for the affected communities. It is suggested that shelter materials/kit, including CI sheet, bamboo poles, CI wire, ropes, nails, tools and so on, could be provided for building temporary shelters.

Recommendations have been made that these materials will then be reused during the rehabilitation phase involving construction of disaster resilient transitional shelters.
HFHI-B is willing to concentrate its disaster recovery efforts in Shaymnagar and Ashashuni Upazila of Satkhira District. In these areas, a total of 105,767 houses were fully damaged and 50,631 houses were partially damaged. These two upazilas alone make up 46% of the national damage figure. The population is extremely vulnerable as many depend on fishing as a livelihood.

HFHI-B has an active satellite or field office in Satkhira and is working closely with partners on the ground to develop a coordinated response among the cyclone Aila affected communities. It is envisaged that HFHI-B will commence a rehabilitation project in Satkhira, once emergency relief efforts have ceased.

HFHI-B has successfully completed its Cyclone Sidr Rehabilitation Project (CSRP) in Patuakhali and Barisal districts this year. Under the project it constructed 480 transitional shelters and 480 sturdy sanitary latrines for the families. HFHI-B has been Building Homes and Changing Lives in Bangladesh since 1999. Over 2200 homes have been built for families in Bangladesh who now have a safe, decent and secure place to live.

To donate or to know more on HFHI-B’s Cyclone Aila response please write
Visit the following link to learn more on Sidr response http://www.habitat.org/ap/special_report_2009.aspx

Habitat Homeowner Story

Murshida Khatun is a tailor trainer from Dholadia Village, Mymensingh. Training 5-6 students per day, Murshida is generating much needed income for her small family. Beaming with joy, she exclaims “Receiving a Habitat house has been the most significant change in my life.” Why? Because now, Murshida and her family live in a 2-bedroom brick home where she has the space to train other young women in tailoring, so, they too can contribute to their families’ income.

Prior to receiving a Habitat house, Murshida, her husband Abdur Rob, and her eight-year-old son, lived in an unsafe, dilapidated house. The mud floor was in very poor condition, and the CI sheet walls and floors did not provide adequate protection for the family. After hearing about Habitat from neighbours, Murshida decided to join a Save and Build group and began saving for a new house.

The new house has not only contributed to increasing the family’s income, the overall health of the family has improved. Murshida’s son in particular has been free of colds and fevers since moving into their new Habitat home. In addition, Murshida’s son has been granted a scholarship for his education due to the increase in his grades and attendance.

Habitat Bangladesh has helped change the life of this Bangladeshi family. Health, education and increases in income, are just a few of the lifelong changes that have been made since receiving not just a house, but a home from Habitat.

You too can help change the life of a Bangladeshi family, by assisting Habitat in building adequate homes in low income communities, to bring hope and new beginnings for families in Bangladesh.

Please contact our Resource Development Manager for more information about making a donation to Habitat Bangladesh.

After the Cyclone: New Hope in Bangladesh

Habitat for Humanity Asia Pacific has published a Special Report on the Cyclone Sidr Rehabilitation Project.

Cyclone Sidr brought misery to struggling families in Bangladesh, one of the poorest countries of the world, when it stuck in November 2007.

To find out how Habitat for Humanity transformed lives through its transitional shelter strategy, please click here to read 'After the Cyclone: New Hope in Bangladesh'

More Photos from Women Build!

Laura Davis and Freyr Patterson breaking bricks to make brick chips for construction


Habitat homeowner, Rashida Begum working alongside volunteers in Savar


National Director, Kelly Koch 'watering' the outside wall of the house


45 participants volunteered for the Women Build held on Friday 3 April

US Embassy builds at Kaliganj

On the 9th of April, a team of 7 from the US Embassy in Dhaka departed for worksites in Kaliganj, approximately 40 km northeast of Dhaka city. The group was cordially welcomed by the homeowner and the local community, and began work at the sites under the close supervision of construction Coordinator, Md. Enamul Haque.

At the conclusion of the build the homeowner, Mr. Bijoy Rozario said, “I’m very happy to get a loan from Habitat; I am building a one room house now, but in the future I’ll need a bigger house. I’m really happy that the volunteers are building my house and they are all from the US embassy; it’s nice to work with them and I am honoured to have them here.”

The team that came from US Embassy worked on the house of Mr. Bijoy Rozario in Boali village, Kaliganj, Gazipur district. After lunch, the team managed to work for another hour, however, due to heavy rain, the team had to finish work early.

The US Embassy has long been a supporter of Habitat Bangladesh, providing both volunteers and raising funds for people in need of decent, safe and secure housing. If you or your organisation would like to volunteer or donate to Habitat Bangladesh, please contact our "Resource Development Manager