View my pictures from Bangladesh:
» Highlights of my trip (43 pictures)
Find the house building sites in Purondopur on Google maps:
I volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in Bangladesh from 14 to 26 November 2009. Habitat for Humanity is an international housing charity which aims to eliminate poverty and homelessness. As part of a team of 11 people from the UK, I worked with two Bangladeshi families in Purondopur, in the Jessore district (south western Bangladesh), as they built themselves out of poverty, using local materials to create environmentally friendly and durable homes.
Bangladesh is flat, low-lying and subject to droughts, river erosion, cyclones and especially floods. Flooding engulfed nearly two-thirds of the country in 2004, damaging nearly a million homes and destroying almost two million acres of crops. Bangladesh is also one of the world’s poorest and least developed countries. An estimated 45 per cent of the population lives on less than US$1 a day.
I paid the costs of my visit (travel, accommodation etc) but sought donations for Habitat for Humanity to use in Bangladesh to provide materials and expertise in the house-building programme. To date I've raised over £1800 - but there is still time to donate! The quickest way to donate (if you have a debit or credit card or PayPal account) is through my page on JustGiving. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. If you'd prefer to donate by cash or cheque please use this sponsorship form or email me at bangladesh@neilirving.co.uk. Thank you!
Links to more information:
» Habitat for Humanity Great Britain (website)
» Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh (website)
» Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh (video on YouTube)
» Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh (official blog)
» Bangladesh (BBC country profile)
» Jessore District (Wikipedia)