Impact of youth
Young people were the focus of a campaign across Asia and the Pacific that began in 2012. Twelve years later, they are still the driving force of the Habitat for Humanity Young Leaders Build. The youth speak up, volunteer and raise funds to support Habitat’s mission.
They serve in different ways but their motivation remains the same — connect families and communities with the life-changing impact of decent, affordable shelter. Let’s hear from these talented, committed youth supporters.
Building homes and lives
In early 2024, Sushmita’s family home in eastern Nepal had to make way for a road-widening project. They worked with the local government to find a solution with the support of Habitat for Humanity Nepal and partner organization Mahuli Community Development Center. While her father was working in India, Sushmita learned construction skills and helped build a new home, together with her mother. It took them four months to complete constructing their home on a plot of land provided by the government.
Together with 53 other young leaders, Sushmita built and painted a fence around her home. They were among a total of 5,212 supporters who took part in the 2024 Habitat Young Leaders Build campaign that spanned eight Asia-Pacific countries. Their support ensured more 1,720 families were able to build strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter.
Korean volunteers at DIY Festival, a fundraiser for Habitat Korea, held at Wangsimni Square in Seoul.
Fundraising
Collective fundraising efforts took centerstage elsewhere. In South Korea, more than 100 university students staffed booths at a fundraising festival in the capital city Seoul. Held at Wangsimni Square, which was close to a subway station, visitors including children could try their hand at making keyrings, dolls, pottery and more. Younkyoung Choi is president of the Habitat for Humanity club based in Chung-Ang University. She said, “Opportunities for universities to come together for fundraising activities are rare. The DIY Festival, where everyone worked towards a common goal, felt especially meaningful. Thanks to the children proudly showcasing the keyrings they made and adults asking if they could open booths again, we gained strength to continue our activities.”
Over in India, more than two dozen runners raised funds for Habitat for Humanity India through the Tata Marathon in January 2024.
A total of more than US$93,000 was raised by young people that supported Habitat’s work in house construction, disaster response and advocacy for safe, decent housing across the region.
Youth volunteers building in Philippines (left) and Nepal (center) and decluttering a home in Singapore (right).
Other youth volunteers lent a hand to various projects such as house-painting, decluttering homes and community clean-up to help families improve the place they call home. Many young people also used their voices to draw attention to housing issues over the multi-month campaign. In Philippines, Vietnam and Cambodia, international volunteers learned about the respective countries’ housing needs and innovative housing solutions from their local counterparts. Other activities included:
- Cambodia: supporters of Habitat Young Leaders Build joined a roadshow to four schools and related their experiences to inspire others.
- India: volunteers from C. P. Goenka International School and Oakridge International School hosted workshops on sustainable practices, community service projects and initiatives to address local housing challenges.
- South Korea: young people as well as vulnerable groups attended an urban innovation school that provided training on urban regeneration and ways to revitalize cities.
- Myanmar: after attending an awareness-raising session, Esther said, “The presentation was about Habitat’s work in the housing sector in our country and globally. I am so surprised that people, including me, are not aware of housing needs and its related issues. Now, I understand better the importance of youth in society and how we can be an enabling factor to improve housing needs in the region.”
- Nepal: young leaders welcomed representatives from the local government, officers from the Australian embassy in Kathmandu and leaders from Habitat Australia and Habitat Nepal to their communities. They also worked with future homeowners to build homes.
- Singapore: students from Tampines Secondary School joined an assembly to learn about Habitat Singapore’s work while their counterparts from Catholic Junior College hosted an advocacy booth.
- Vietnam: volunteers helped spread the word about health hazards due to the use of asbestos in house construction. They also advocated for changing some of the practices among the Muong ethnic group in Tan Lac district. Parts of the Muong people’s houses may be used to hold buffalo, thus increasing the risks of environmental pollution and disease transmission.
No matter their role, the youth supporters aim to bring tangible, long-term benefits to their community. In the words of Sushmita, “As much as I want to inspire others to volunteer in home construction work, I also emphasize the importance of approaching such projects with care and a commitment to sustainability.”