US Diplomats In India Complete Three Houses in Flood-stricken Kalyan

“Saturday Builds” Conclude for Monsoon Season

Hard-to-reach: US consulate staff volunteers are determined to paint those hard-to-reach places as they help complete homes before the monsoon season.

Back in September: staff from the US consulate-general in Mumbai spent Saturdays for two months building homes for flood-stricken families in Maharashtra’s Kalyan district.

KALYAN 12th JUNE 2006: Teams of staff volunteers from the US consulate-general in Mumbai recently helped put the finishing touches on three homes for families who lost everything in last year’s floods in the Indian state of Maharashstra.

The US mission has been sending volunteers to the build, which is part of US1.5 million Rotary Club initiative every Saturday since 1st April.

Annerike Owen, wife of US consul general Michael Owen, led the initiative. Staff were involved in the build from the start, helping excavate the sites for the three houses.

A total of 11 consulate staff volunteered for the final Saturday build at the end of May.

The group was divided into three teams to whitewash the three homes, inside and out.

Homeowner families provided a communal lunch for the teams.

Consulate staff are planning to re-commence their Saturday build activities in September, when monsoon season is over.