The UW-Madison chapter of Habitat for Humanity gathered Monday evening to host several highly regarded members of Habitat for Humanity-Europe and Central Asia Chapters.
Since the foundation of HFH in 1976, the non-profit organization has helped more than a quarter million people in need of a \simple, decent and affordable"" place to live.
HFH has greatly expanded over the past few decades. ""In 1980 we were in 10 countries, 29 in 1990, over 80 in 2000, currently we are in 100 plus countries and by 2010 we project we will be in more than 120 countries,"" said Ned Kelly, Resource Development Manager for HFH.
The mission of Habitat for Humanity is to ""eliminate poverty housing on earth,"" said Nargiza Kydykova, public relations and volunteer coordinator for HFH in Kyrgyzstan, the first country in Central Asia to partner with HFH.
HFH began working in Kyrgyzstan in 1999 where ""crumbling shacks and makeshift metal containers are common in many areas,"" Kydykova said, also noting, ""over 50 percent of the population is poor, living in starvation with no means of support, moreover nearly 98 million people in Europe and Central Asia live on less than two dollars a day.""
Since the induction of HFH in Kyrgyzstan, the organization has built or renovated nearly 60 homes, costing on average $6,000-$10,000, but this is only the beginning in a country where one million housing units are needed, Kydykova said.
""We are helping to break the cycle of poverty. With new homes, citizens feel like full people again,"" Kydykova said.
Projects through HFH are funded by donations from individuals, organizations, churches and companies.
The UW-Madison chapter of HFH has also taken part in international projects. Last May students traveled to Costa Rica to help dig foundations, get reed bar ready for cinder block housing and take place in house blessing ceremonies, said Jess Acker, former president of UW-Madison Chapter of HFH.
""It was amazing to make the connection across cultures in Costa Rica, under the name of Habitat for Humanity,"" said Allie Wenzel, UW-Madison senior and President of UW-Madison Chapter of HFH.
