Habitat for Humanity – Build Big Romania 2011

Will you build big in Romania this year?

Habitat for Humanity Northern Ireland are calling on volunteers from across Northern Ireland to build big in Romania from 1^st–8^th October 2011.

2011 will be the third year running that Habitat NI have travelled to Romania to deliver adequate, affordable homes to families in need. The Big Build will see 150 volunteers from Northern Ireland travel to the small town of Baltesti, Romania, to deliver 10 homes in just one week.

Big Build 11 brings together people from across Northern Ireland to build not just houses but community and hope. No building skills are needed and people of all shapes, sizes, age and gender are welcome to participate.

Big Build is part of Habitat NI’s long term commitment to the programme in Romania, which is focussed especially on supporting marginalised groups including the Roma community.

Housing Need

35% of total housing stock in Romania is in the state of complete neglect and needing urgent repairs. Real wages for working Romanian families have dropped by about 40% and in addition to the economic toil, Romania faces the challenge of thousands of children orphaned under the previous communist regime.

The Roma community suffer high levels of poverty housing, often with 3 or 4 families living in one house. The appalling conditions and lack of adequate facilities results in poor health and adds further to the marginalisation of the families. 

How Habitat will help

The One Home: One Future Programme is the most intensive intervention programme yet attempted, tackling the roots of poverty in the small town of Baltesti. Big Build will deliver an integrated project where Roma families will no longer live on the edge of town but beside their neighbours.

The families of Baltesti are caught in the vicious cycle of poverty, where lack of education limits opportunities for families to learn a skill and earn a decent wage. Big Build will help break this cycle; as well as delivering 10 homes the One Home: One Future programme works in partnership with other agencies to deliver social support and marketable skills training.

Over the last 2 years Big Build has already delivered homes to 22 families in need of a safe, decent shelter in Romania. Adela Beres became a Habitat homeowner following the Big Build 2010.

 ”Thank you so much for giving me this chance of being able to own my own home. You have given me the chance to be born again.”

Get Involved

To take part in Big Build 2011 you will need to commit to raising £1750 per person, plus £100 non–refundable deposit. This total covers travel from Northern Ireland, in–country expenses and a donation to Habitat’s work both locally and in Romania.

From October 1^st–8^th 2011 Habitat will help 10 families build houses, build community and build hope in Baltesti, Romania.

For further information about Big Build 11 and to register please visit www.habitatni.co.uk/bigbuild