Saturday, January 31, 2009

Tentative Itinerary


TEAM ONE (Team Two dates at bottom)

Sept 5, Sat
Participants depart US
Some participants may arrive in Maputo, Mozambique all in one day; others may overnight depending on their itinerary.

Sept 6, Sun

Participants arrive in Maputo, Mozambique no later than 5pm
Rest
Welcome and Orientation by Habitat National Office staff
Overnight in Maputo at United Methodist Church Guest House

Sept 7, Mon
Bus travel to community of Massaca
Settle in to Spanish Mission houses
Orientation to community

Sept 8, Tues
Van travel to work site
Safety briefing
Begin work!!

Sept 9 - Sept 12, Wed-Sat
Work on houses
Local community tours as planned by host (orphanage, school, medical clinic)

Sept 13, Sun
Church service in community
Rest

Sept 14 -15, Mon-Tues
Work on houses

Sept 16, Wed
Work on houses in morning
Farewell to community

Sept 17, Thur
Bus travel back to Maputo
Farewell lunch with Habitat National Staff
Depart from Maputo airport for Johannesburg, South Africa
Overnight at private guesthouse

Sept 18, Fri
Tour of Soweto Township, homes of Desmund Tutu and Nelson Mandela, Apartheid Museum
Personal shopping
Debriefing and Evaluation Session
Overnight at same guesthouse

Sept 19, Sat
Lion Park and/or Cultural Village
Personal shopping
Return to Johannesburg for departures, no sooner than 8pm

Sept 20-23, Sun-Wed
Option R&R - Safari in Kruger National Park (see separate blog listing for information)

Note: While in the village, we will begin each day with breakfast at 6:30 am near the guesthouse, and then travel to the worksite. Building starts at about 7:30 am, stopping for lunch which is provided on-site. The work day will end at about 4:00 pm with travel back to our lodging. There is time for showers and relaxation before dinner between 6 and 7 pm. Evenings are for team meetings, social activities with other volunteers, time for reading, or simply relaxing. Cultural activities may be planned by the host, which we won't know until our arrival.


TEAM TWO (Team One dates above)

Sept 26, Sat
Participants depart US
Some participants may arrive in Maputo, Mozambique all in one day; others may overnight enroute, depending on their itinerary.


Sept 27, Sun
Participants arrive in Maputo, Mozambique no later than 5pm
Rest
Welcome and Orientation by Habitat National Office staff
Overnight in Maputo at United Methodist Church Guest House

Sept 28, Mon
Bus travel to community of Massaca
Settle in to 3 Spanish Mission houses (2-6 participants/room)
Orientation to community

Sept 29, Tues
Van travel to work site
Safety briefing
Begin work!!

Sept 30 - Oct 3, Wed-Sat
Work on houses
Local community tours as planned by host (orphanage, school, medical clinic)

Oct 4, Sun
Church service in community
Rest

Oct 5 - 6, Mon-Tues
Work on houses

Oct 7, Wed
Work on houses in morning
Farewell to community

Oct 8, Thur
Bus travel back to Maputo
Farewell lunch with Habitat National Staff
Depart from Maputo airport for Johannesburg, South Africa
Overnight at private guesthouse

Oct 9, Fri
Tour of Soweto Township, homes of Desmund Tutu and Nelson Mandela, Apartheid Museum
Personal shopping

Debriefing and Evaluation Session
Overnight at same guesthouse

Oct 10, Sat
Lion Park and/or Cultural Village
Personal shopping
Return to Johannesburg for departures, no sooner than 8pm

Oct 11 - 14, Sun-Wed
Option R&R - Safari in Kruger National Park (see separate blog listing for information)

Note: While in the village, we will begin each day with breakfast at 6:30 am near the guesthouse, and then travel to the worksite. Building starts at about 7:30 am, stopping for lunch which is provided on-site. The work day will end at about 4:00 pm with travel back to our lodging. There is time for showers and relaxation before dinner between 6 and 7 pm. Evenings are for team meetings, social activities with other volunteers, time for reading, or simply relaxing. Cultural activities may be planned by the host, which we won't know until our arrival.




Costs and Airfare Information

Expenses are $1940. This includes:

  • $500 donation to Habitat and the Mozambique building program - *MINIMUM
  • All expenses while in Mozambique, including:

all meals in Maputo and Massaca

all accommodations in Maputo and Massaca

transport to/from Maputo airport

ground transportation to/from Maputo to the host community of Massaca

ground transportation to/from the work site

social activities

  • All expenses while in Johannesburg, South Africa including:

transport to/from airport

all ground transportation for cultural activities

guesthouse accommodations

all meals

cultural activities, entrance fees in Johannesburg

  • Mandatory medical travel insurance
  • Mandatory trip cancellation insurance
  • Orientation materials


It does not include:

  • airfare to/from Maputo with enroute stopover on return in Johannesburg, South Africa
  • enroute travel expenses before arriving in Maputo or after leaving Joberg airport
  • expenses associated with international travel such as visa, passport, and immunizations
  • optional R&R activities (Safari in Kruger National Park)


Funds must be received by July 24 for Team One and by August 14 for Team Two

*MINIMUM $500 donation explanation - all you HAVE to raise is the expenses listed. We encourage people on our teams to challenge themselves (it's not a competition between team members) to go beyond that minimum donation. 100% of that additional money will go to Mozambique for their house-building program. The more raised, the more houses built, simple as that. And for every person or group you contact for a donation is that many more people that are then aware of the poverty housing issues in Mozambique, and as important, the desperate plight of the orphans and vulnerable children.

So, as you consider your fundraising strategy, put the listed cost of $1940 as the MINIMUM that you want to raise. Even if you could pay for this trip right out of your pocket, we would still encourage you to fundraise because that is the number one tool for raising awareness as well. When you tell the story, explain the need, you are letting others know about the challenges of poverty housing in Mozambique. And when you do that, donations usually follow. It doesn't need to be an extravagant fundraising strategy. It could be as simple as writing an email to ten of your closest colleagues, friends, and family members, just stating what you're doing and asking them to JOIN you in eliminating poverty housing. Most people appreciate the opportunity. In the end, we hope that you can say you not only raised $xxx, but you also made xxx number of people aware in joining the challenge!!


Ideas on fund/awareness are posted on this blog under that that heading.

Planning Your Air Travel
Airfares vary depending on your departure city. We have found one agency that has "humanitarian travel" contracts with major airlines, and your Global Village trip qualifies. We have used this agency several times, as have many former participants, and have experienced timely and dependable service. Contact Eldon at Golden Rule Travel at wagler@goldrule.net, for a quote, or your own travel agent.

Your itinerary must have you arriving in Maputo no later than 3pm on Sept 6 (Team One) or Sept 27 (Team Two). You are certainly welcome to arrive earlier, even the day before (you would have to pay for an extra night at the guest house), if you want to feel more rested before we get going on a very full schedule which starts with dinner at 5pm that Sunday.

Your departure from Maputo to Johannesburg should be on South Africa Airways #145 departing MPM at 3:55pm and arriving JNB at 5:05pm on Sept 17 (team one) or For Team One or Oct 8 (team two).

Your final departure from Joberg airport should be no earlier than 8pm on Sept 19 (team one) or Oct 10 (team two), unless you are going on the optional safari in Kruger Park. If so, book your flight for no earlier than 6pm on Sept 23 or Oct 14 (note: this time is earlier than the 8pm time originally posted)

No team member can arrive later or depart earlier than the posted itinerary. Your team leader can give you more information.

Make sure that you book flight under the SAME NAME with the SAME SPELLING as that in your passport - no shortened names or nicknames.

In order to apply for a Mozambique visa, you must have a confirmed flight itinerary. Therefore it is important for flights to be investigated soon after your acceptance on the team.

Housing Needs & Habitat for Humanity Mozambique

The Housing Need

Mozambique has suffered a series of setbacks in its struggle to develop during 32 years of independence. After a 10 year liberation struggle starting in 1964, the country was embroiled in a 13-year guerilla war that took the lives of 1 million people and left 5 million displaced.



Only with the rise of the ANC and the end of apartheid in South Africa, was Mozambique able to broker peace and disarm the guerrillas in 1992.
During its 15 years of peace, Mozambique has had one of the fastest growing economies in the region, yet the country has a steep hill to climb. To make matters worse, in 2000, the country was devastated by the largest flood ever recorded in Africa which left in its wake half a million people homeless. Since the war, HIV/AIDS has been sweeping through the country, with an estimated 17% of the population infected in the country and as much as 30% or more in certain cities along transport lines. As a result of these deaths, children are left orphaned, often without adequate shelter and sometimes homeless.


Habitat for Humanity Mozambique (HFHMz)
Formed in 2000, Habitat for Humanity Mozambique (HFHMz) has worked with communities, local volunteers, partners and international teams to build hundreds of houses in Maputo Province and up country in the provinces of Manica and Gaza.
HFHMz’s original houses were made of cement blocks, but the program changed its technique in the last few years to adopt local materials and methods in order to lower costs, increase efficiency and community involvement, and begin reaching the very poorest families in each community as rapidly as possible. It is anticipated that over 10,000 orphaned and vulnerable children will be housed under this new program in the next three years!!!!! Read more at the next posting under "Orphans and Vulnerable Children Program (OVC)" and start anticipating how you will be a part of this amazing program!!

The Orphans & Vulnerable Children's (OVC) Program

Holistic Housing Solutions

for Orphans and Vulnerable Children


PROJECT SUMMARY



1.5 million Orphans, 500,000 due to HIV/AIDS


Unable to ignore this urgent need, HFH Mozambique has developed a program that provides shelter for the poorest of the poor – orphaned and vulnerable children and their caretakers. But merely putting a roof over their heads does not address the multi-dimensional needs vulnerable children have for legal protection, clean water, proper sanitation, food, safety, education and social supports. By partnering with other organisational partners, HFH Mozambique is able to provide more comprehensive support for these families.

The proposed 3-year project will provide safe, healthy and legally protected shelter for 3,600 families – 10,800 orphans and vulnerable children – in 10-15 rural communities in Maputo (South), Manica (Central), Nampula (North) Provinces in the North, Central and Southern region. Each house includes a ventilated pit latrine for improved sanitation; cement floors help keep out pests and moisture; mosquito nets to protect from malaria; and a supply of Certeza water treatment liquid to ensure access to clean drinking water.


The use of local materials and reliance on local workers helps ensure that economic resources remain within the community. Partner organisations will help protect the inheritance rights of an additional 3,000 children and will provide health education workshops to increase knowledge about HIV/AIDs prevention, care and treatment; malaria prevention; and foster changes in behaviours that can have a positive impact on family health.

In order to achieve this exponential growth, HFH Mozambique will strengthen its own organizational capacity through the opening of two new regional offices and the development of a data tracking system that will help measure the impacts of project on the health, education and income of families. The total projected budget is USD 6,560,447.


(picture: children in front of a new home)

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY MOZAMBIQUE

Habitat for Humanity Mozambique (HFH Mozambique) has built over 300 houses for poor families since its founding in 2000. HFH Mozambique’s traditional model of providing affordable home loans for poor families meant that there was a growing subset of poor families not being reached. Their resources had been so exhausted that even paying USD2-4 per month was beyond their means. In 2004, HFH Mozambique began focusing specifically on those vulnerable groups. With funds from private donors and USAID matching funds through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, HFH Mozambique centred its efforts on the housing related needs of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) specifically. Currently, all of the houses built in Mozambique are fully subsidised (i.e. free housing) and are designed to reach the lowest income families caring for orphans impacted by HIV/AIDS and/or other illnesses.

The OVC Program expansion is a key component of HFH Mozambique’s three-year (FY09-11) strategic plan. This growth includes strengthening community capacity to serve exponentially more vulnerable families in subsequent years. Active projects are underway in the Southern and Central regions and, in FY09, HFH Mozambique will develop its first initiatives in the Northern region from an office in Nampula. Partnerships with community-based organisations, other NGOs and government agencies are critical to provide more holistic support. As the project grows, more partnerships will be formed.

In addition to the OVC program, HFH Mozambique also plans to develop programs in Housing Microfinance, Land and Asset Security and Advocacy as well as providing technical assistance for community resettlements and shelter interventions that mitigate loss in flood and cyclone prone areas.


THE NEED

Mozambique is one of the world’s poorest countries, ranking 172 / 177 on the United Nation’s Development Report. Over 70% of the population lives below the poverty line, with 38% surviving on less than USD1/day.

An estimated 1.7 million Mozambicans are living with HIV/AIDS and the prevalence rate is currently 16% among 15-49 year olds, according to the Ministry of Health. Every single day there are about 500 new HIV/AIDS infections. Youths aged 15-24 are the most heavily affected and account for 60% of new HIV infections.

UNICEF estimates at least 500,000 of the 1.5 million orphans in Mozambique have lost their parents to AIDS and at least 100,000 children under the age of 15 are living with HIV/AIDS. By the year 2010, it is expected that nearly half of the 1 million maternal orphans in Mozambique will be orphaned due to HIV and AIDS.

The impact of this epidemic is profound.


Orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC) are more likely to live in poor households headed by women, elderly people and/or by an uneducated person. Some households are even headed by a child, or the children have to act as the main provider due to the illness or disability of the adult family members.

They have very limited means of generating income and thus often have to resort to risky coping strategies, such as early marriage, transactional sex and hazardous child labour. They also have limited access to basic services such as health, education, food, legal, financial and psychosocial services. In addition to these challenges, children orphaned as a result of AIDS are often living with social stigma and discrimination and potentially face exclusion from their communities. OVC are also prone to discrimination in the allocation of resources because they are not direct biological descendants of the household head. Inheritance claims by relatives often lead to dispossession of property in child headed households.

The average monthly income of an elderly caretaker in rural Mozambique is USD12. The estimated monthly cost of looking after an orphan is about USD21, while caring for someone living with AIDS costs USD30. Unable to meet their most basic needs for food, other critical necessities like shelter are unattainable. Renting is prohibitively expensive and the labour-intensive repair of existing structures can be an extreme hardship for sick or elderly caretakers. As a result, many OVC families live in unsanitary, temporary housing conditions with mud floors and leaking roofs. These conditions are conducive to the spread of disease and pose an acute problem for children and those with HIV-weakened immune systems.

Less than 20% of Mozambique’s rural population has access to adequate sanitation facilities. Some share a common facility but most families simply relieve themselves outdoors. Only 36% of the population has access to safe drinking water. Lack of proper sanitation and hygienic practices increases the risk of diseases such as cholera and diarrhoea. According to the WHO, “no single type of intervention has greater overall impact upon national development and public health than does the provision of safe drinking water and proper disposal of human excreta.” Recent studies also indicate that access to potable water can delay the emergence of opportunistic diseases among people who are living with HIV/AIDS and make treatment with anti-retrovirals more effective.

Another major health risk is malaria. Currently, malaria accounts for 60% of children in hospitals and 30% of hospital deaths. The World Health Organisation estimates that insecticide treated mosquito nets can cut malaria transmission by 60% and child deaths by a fifth. Sadly, most families cannot afford mosquito nets.

HFH MOZAMBIQUE DEVELOPMENT MODEL

Living a Normal Life

HFH Mozambique strives to create a more holistic program that meets the complex and interrelated needs of vulnerable children and their families. While project design methods and some components are being standardized, housing models, training courses and community development activities differ and mould to the needs of each community. The project design model requires a few weeks of participatory research in each community in order to set up a program that will function at a local economic level. Project components include:
§ Healthy housing and latrines for families
§ Family health education on HIV/AIDS, malaria and other related health issues
§ Inheritance planning and writing of wills to ensure the house remains an asset for the children
§ Provision of mosquito nets and water treatment kits
§ Partnerships with local community organizations that identify and care for vulnerable families through food, training and basic social support.

Targeted families are considered the “poorest of the poor” from a local community perspective. Families are identified by the government and local community organizations as families in most need. Usually parents are (or were) people living with HIV and must use whatever income they have on transport to hospitals and food for children at the expense of other basic necessities such as shelter. Beneficiaries will include:
§ 10,800 orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) and their caretakers will benefit from safe, healthy housing.
§ 19,800 children will be protected from asset grabbing by legal inheritance plans. The inheritance rights of 10,800 OVC will be protected directly by HFH Mozambique trainings and assistance and an additional 9,000 OVC protected by partners running inheritance workshops and initiatives after being trained by HFH Mozambique.
§ 3,600 families caring for 10,800 OVC will benefit from clean water treated by Certeza tablets, treated mosquito nets, improved sanitation with VIP latrines; training in home maintenance and HIV/AIDS
§ An estimated 10 trainers from five different CBOs or NGOs will be trained as trainers on the inheritance curriculum.
§ HFH Mozambique funds provide work and financing for 30-50 people in each community all located within 2-5 km of the family homes (likely 300-500 contracted workers by end of project based on an average of 5-10 homes constructed per week in each community).

Ultimately, the intention of the program is to keep OVC within their communities by strengthening the resources and ability of caretakers and others in the community. HFH Mozambique does not believe that institutional orphanages are a solution, unless there are no other alternatives. Taking a child away from the extended family structure of neighbours, grandparents and relatives in the community is more likely to cause trauma and pain. With their own home, the children will have a base from which to succeed and a network of neighbours to help them. And by involving community based partners at every stage of selection, design and implementation, community ownership and solidarity are reinforced.

Home designs provide enhancements like cement foundations to traditional reed and thatch structures to increase durability while allowing families to remain in homes that do not separate them from the community in aesthetic or financial appearance. Giving widows and children an asset worth hundreds or thousands of dollars can actually increase their vulnerability. If the community perceives that the child is better off than the surrounding families it will be less likely to offer the ongoing daily support so desperately need.

CORPORATE SYNERGIES

Rural Housing & Development

Water & Sanitation

Gender Equality & Women's Rights

HIV/AIDS - Orphans and Vulnerable Children

Research & Capacity Building

Communication Development & Transformation

Volunteer Mobilisation

Vulnerable Groups: Orphans and Vulnerable Children and Caregivers
Families must meet the Mozambican government’s basic criteria for OVC:
· Orphans are children who have lost one or more parent
· Vulnerable children are children with sick parents, abandoned children, and/or children living in economic hardship situations (lack of food, etc.).

Health: Insecticide treated mosquito nets
HFH Mozambique aims to prevent malaria by ensuring that every household member sleeps under an Insecticide Treated Net. Nets are provided free of charge because otherwise the targeted beneficiaries would not be able to afford them. HFH Mozambique has partnered with Population Services International (PSI) since 2006 to train local and national staff to lead workshops on the importance of and proper usage and mounting of treated mosquito nets.

Water: Certeza Water Treatments kits
HFH Mozambique’s project partner PSI will also train staff on Certeza, a water treatment liquid that can be incorporated into common household practices to make water appropriate for drinking and cleaning vegetables.

HFH Mozambique plans to cover the costs of a year supply of Certeza for each beneficiary family. If the families appreciate the benefits of Certeza in providing clean drinking water, the hope is that that family will continue to pay for it after the subsidy ends. The cost for a month’s supply of Certeza is 8 MT (USD 0.33). HFH Mozambique will institute a quarterly family monitoring form to track product use and family health indicators over the course of the three-year project.

Education: Women and Inheritance Planning
Families (mostly single mothers and grandmothers) learn about property and land rights and discuss the necessity of protecting their assets from relatives and neighbours. The training includes a day of discussion and learning about the laws and rights of Mozambicans and their children, traditional practices and their impacts, and discussions of peoples’ feelings about all the subjects. In every training group conducted to date, at least one woman has already been removed from her previous home, which creates lively discussion.

HFH Mozambique facilitates the process of writing a legal will by bringing a jurist/magistrate to the community to talk to each family and fill out the forms necessary for families to certify their succession wishes in a formal government document. These official documents and the local leaders' participation, along with large groups of women with knowledge of their legal rights, will help protect the children from property grabbing.

Going on Safari - An Optional R&R Event

This portion of the website will need to be updated as soon as we receive more information. Basically, however, we are offering an optional R&R after the final team dates (September 19 and October 10) - an amazing opportunity to go on Safari in famous Kruger National Park!! the pictures you see here are ones we took last year.
R&R has historically been included in the team activities, but as of this year, team leaders can only offer an R&R activity as an option after the team dates are complete.

We will depart Johannesburg, South Africa, for the Park on September 20 (team one) and October 11 (team two). We use private vans for the 5 hour journey. After we check into our accommodations, we will have the opportunity for a few hours of animal sightings or to just relax and enjoy our surroundings. The next two days will be full days of venturing into the park in our private safari vehicles with our own experienced guides. We return to Joburg on Sept 23 (team one) and October 14 (team two) for your departure that evening.



We have requested all three nights to be at the Cheetah Inn, which was the favorite accommodation for our team last year (pictured here).We have also requested the same awesome guide we had last year. The safari was a hit for everyone in 2008, and we hope all of you will join us again this year.









Cost: approximately $400 (updated costs will be posted as we know it, but shouldn't change a whole lot) - this includes all transportation, guides, park fees, accommodations, breakfast and dinner (budget an additional $5/day, approximately, depending on what you order, for lunch in the park and about $7/day for tipping guides). Also budget $35-50 for your one night in Joburg (Sept 19 or Oct 10) before the safari begins. Right now, we are going to try to collect all the payments and send them in together, which means paying by check. A 50% deposit needs to be paid immediately upon deciding to go, with the balance due by September 1, regardless of which team you are on. These costs can NOT go through your GV accounting at Habitat. It is not a tax-deductible expense. You can still "fundraise" for this activity, but it must be clear to those who support you that their gift must go directly to you, be clear as to how it is being used (not for Habitat), and that they will not receive any receipt. It is a personal gift to you for your own personal use.




































How to Apply for This Team


This is Sarah from our 2008 team, sharing a smile with an orphan child. Picture yourself building homes for children in need in 2009.

If you have an application already on file with Global Village, then all you have to do is call the Global Village registrar at 1-800-422-4848 ext 7530, or write gv@habitat.org and request that your application be forwarded to the team leaders at lesliebell47@yahoo.com. If your application is more than a year old, or needs updating, simply go online and submit a new application. All other forms must be less than a year old as well. Contact the team leaders by email to let them know that you have requested your application to be forwarded. Read the information below on the Interview Process.

If you are new to Global Village, filling out an application form is easy, takes little time, and does not commit you to any team. Nor does it mean that you have been invited to join a team; but you must have an application on file in order to be interviewed for a team.

The Application
The Global Village application forms that must be submitted consists of: the GV application form; the Emergency Contact Information (ECI) and Release and Waiver of Liability form; the Participant Acknowledgement form. All of these forms can now be filled out online. Later, you must also submit a copy of the ID page of your passport, which must be valid for six months beyond the travel dates. You submit this to us, the team leader, not to GV. When we have them all collected we send a copy to GV. Do not send this copy to us until you have been selected for the team.


TIPS on filling out the forms:
  • If you do not have a current passport, or do not have easy access to your passport, you can still submit your application and submit passport information later.

  • Make sure your email address is spelled correctly, as that is how you will be contacted with your 8-digit account number.
  • If you are applying for more than one team (other than our Mozambique teams), fill out the countries and dates for each team on ONE application form. If applying only for one of our Mozambique teams, give Mozambique as your preferred destination and the exact dates of the team you are applying for (Team One and/or Team Two).

  • The ECI also asks for health insurance information; you do NOT have to have health insurance to apply, but if you do have insurance, please submit that information.

    Application Process
    Global Village receives electronic applications via the online application Web page, www.habitat.org/gv. The application and other forms can be filled out online, or downloaded for a paper copy to submit by mail or fax. The online process is immediate whereas applications by mail or fax may take up to two weeks. We have to have a copy of this application before the interview.


    When the application is entered into the database you will be advised of your 8-digit Habitat ID number. Once this number has been received, contact the Mozambique team leaders, Bob and Leslie Bell, at lesliebell47@yahoo.com to request an interview.

    The Interview
    All participants, including former team members on our past teams, must have a telephone interview. If there are multiple participants in one family, each participant must be interviewed, whether in a group or individual interview.

    Please make sure you read ALL of the information on this blog before the interview.
    The purpose of the interview is for YOU to be able to ask all the questions you have concerning this team in order to know whether or not it will meet your expectations. The team leaders also asks questions to make sure you are a candidate that will meet our expectations. If an invitation is extended, it usually happens within 24 hours of the interview.

    Accepting or Declining
    When an invitation is extended, it must be accepted or declined within three days. If accepting, you must immediately make your non-refundable, non-transferrable deposit of $350 before you are recognized as a team member by Global Village. For more information on making the deposit, read Payment and Donation Procedures & Policies.


    Pictures: Lindsey and new young friend; Barb, also from 2008 team, with her new friend, one of the local "master builders".

Payment and Donation Policies & Procedures

This information applies to everybody who commits to a GV trip, so please read this carefully. We hope the following guide also proves helpful for those of you who are fundraising the financial support necessary to make your trip a reality. Be sure to review the information here before beginning your fundraising efforts. These guidelines are in place to ensure that you have the opportunity to join others in the mission of Habitat affiliates around the world to help build decent, affordable houses in partnership with low-income families.

Deposit and Balance
Once you are invited to join the team, you must confirm your place on the team by submitting a nonrefundable and nontransferable deposit to Habitat for Humanity International in the amount of $350. The balance of the trip payment (trip cost minus the $350 deposit) is due no later than 45 days prior to departure (July 24 and August 14)

Submitting Payments
This information is for depositing your own funds, or to give to potential donors to make deposits on your behalf.

All payments toward your trip must be made in U.S. dollars to Habitat for Humanity International, and designated to the Global Village department (see "coding" info below). Payments may be submitted by personal check, money order, MasterCard, Visa, American Express or Discover.

You or your donors may submit funds by credit card online. Go to www.habitat.org/gv and click on the link called "Donate in Support of a Global Village Trip”. You can also submit funds by telephone by calling the GV customer service coordinator at (800) 422-4828, Ext. 7530. To submit payments online or over the phone, you and your donorws will need: a credit card number, your eight-digit Habitat ID number, and the GV event code for Mozambique, (GV10116 for Team One and GV 10117 for Team Two). Participants and donors who submit funds by credit card will receive an automatic e-mail acknowledgment that the payment was received.

Checks and money orders must be made payable to Habitat for Humanity International and mailed to:
Habitat for Humanity International
Global Village Department
P.O. Box 369
Americus, GA 31709-0369

Make sure the check or money order is coded correctly (see below). Tracking down funds that are not submitted correctly can take a tremendous amount of time and sometimes cannot be found in order to be credited to the participant.

Note: It may take up to two weeks for donations to post to your account. Your deposit and any payments you submit toward the cost of your trip will automatically be credited toward satisfying your financial obligation only when coded as per the instructions.

All donors will receive a tax-deductible receipt regardless of how the funds are submitted.

Coding Your Donations
For a donation to be credited toward your trip, your personal eight-digit Habitat ID number and GV event code for Mozambique (GV10116 or GV10117) must be included on ALL funds submitted to the Global Village program on your behalf. For online credit card payments include your eight-digit Habitat ID number and GV event code in the fields provided. For personal checks or money orders please write the eight-digit Habitat ID number above the name and address in the upper left corner of the check, and the GV event code on the memo line located in the lower left corner.
Make sure all of your donors are given this information if they intend to submit their donation directly to Habitat.
If you are uncertain of your eight-digit Habitat ID number or the GV event code, please contact your team leader.

Fund Raising Web Site
To use the fundraising web site, point your web browser to www.habitat.org/gv/create.html and in just a few minutes you can create a personalized fundraising web page for your trip. You can then direct potential donors to your web site where they can learn more about the Global Village program, HFHI and your specific trip. You can also direct potential donors to this blog. More information is in this blog on the post called Setting Up Your Fundraising Web Page.

Matching Gifts
Contact your company’s matching gift officer prior to submitting a matching gift form. Not all companies’ matching-gift policies allow for the matching of participation fees. If applying for matching gifts, notify your team leader. Note: Matching gift funds often take 6 months to be received by Habitat. Make sure your application for matching gifts is done well in advance

Tax Deductibility
Funding raised toward the cost of a Global Village trip also includes the cost of food, lodging and transportation during the trip. Only a portion of the required trip payment supports the charitable purpose of the hosting Habitat program. Depending on the participant’s country of origin, this trip’s cost may or may not be tax-deductible. Please consult a tax adviser concerning your specific situation.

Acknowledging Donations
All donors who contribute via check or money order payable to Habitat for Humanity International, or make a credit card donation designated to a Global Village team, are sent acknowledgment letters by Habitat for Humanity International. Those who donate online (via a personalized Web page or via the link “Donate in Support of a Global Village Trip”) receive a prompt e-mail confirmation that the donation was received, and will also be mailed an acknowledgement letter. Discourage your supporters from sending cash, as Habitat for Humanity International cannot acknowledge cash donations. Talk to the team leader about cash that you collect as a donation at your own fundraising events.

How to Find Out the Status of Your Account
Keep track of any funds that you submit yourself or on behalf of your donors. To know what other donations have been made to your account, contact your team leader (NOT the GV Department). The Team Leader receives updated accounting about every two weeks.

Donation checks Made Payable To You Instead of HFHI
If a donor makes a check payable to you, but would like an acknowledgment letter from HFHI, you may write “Payable to Habitat for Humanity International,” along with your signature, on the back of the check. Include the event code and your eight-digit Habitat ID number on the front of the check.
If the donor does not want an acknowledgement form, you may submit this gift yourself and receive the acknowledgement form, or, with the donor's permission, use the gift for your own personal use towards your airfare or other travel expenses. You can use cash that you receive in the same manner.

Funds Raised in Addition to the Published Trip Cost
One of the stated purposes of the Global Village program is to raise funds for the building efforts of Habitat affiliates worldwide. To remain consistent with our mission, the Global Village department is not able to roll additional funds over to a future GV trip. Habitat for Humanity International will direct any additional funding you raise (beyond the published trip cost) to additional support for the building programs in the team’s host country.

Fundraising for Airfare
As of Jan. 1, 2008, funds raised at HFHI in excess of the trip cost may no longer be used to cover all or part of a GV participant’s airfare. Participants may still be able to claim their airfare as a tax-deductible expense even if the funds are paid directly from the participant to a vendor, as long as the trip is in pursuit of a charitable purpose. Team members will need to contact a tax adviser concerning their specific situation. Team members can, however, receive "miles" in an airline mileage program as a donation. No receipt, however, can be given to the donor.

Cancellation Policy
No refunds are offered if you must cancel.

Cancellation More Than 45 Days Prior to Departure
All payments excluding the $350 deposit may be transferred for use on a future GV trip within one year of your original trip date. All cancellation notices must first be given to your team leader before notifying GV. All transfer requests must be sent in writing to the Global Village sending coordinator. Ask your team leader for more information.

Cancellation Within 45 Days of Departure
One hundred percent of your payments and donations will be retained by HFHI to meet current obligations.

If Habitat for Humanity Must Cancel
GV will make every effort to conduct the trip as scheduled; however, if Habitat for Humanity International must cancel, GV will attempt to place you on another team. If that is not possible, you may receive a full refund. Global Village cannot compensate participants for the cost of unusable airfare or any other expenses resulting from the cancellation

Delays Enroute
If delays occur enroute, or missed or cancelled flights cause you to miss your rendezvous with the team, the Global Village staff will do everything possible to assist you in connecting with the team. However, Global Village cannot be responsible for any expenses incurred due to flight problems.

Note: all team members are provided with a Trip Cancellation Insurance policy. See more information on this blog site.

Passport and Visas for Mozambique and South Africa

Passport Requirements
All participants on the Mozambique (Mz) team must have a valid passport that does not expire before March 10, 2010 (Team One) or March 26, 2010 (Team Two). ALSO, you must have at least FOUR blank pages in your passport for the Mz and South Africa (SA) visa stamps. You cannot count the last three pages that say "for ammendments". If you are a frequent international traveler, make sure you have this many pages. If not, you need to apply at the State Department for an extension to be put in your passport (extra pages).

Visas
Participants must have a Mozambique visa stamped into your passport BEFORE entering the country. Cost: $40

You will get your South Africa visa upon arrival at the Johannesburg airport. There is no fee.

In order to apply for your Mz visa, your name must appear in a letter of invitation from Habitat Mozambique to accompany the passport application. This letter will be mailed to you, along with the visa application and instructions on how to fill it out by the team leaders. Visa applications must be accompanied by your valid passport, the letter of invitation, 2 identical passport photos, the fee, a return mailer, and a copy of a confirmed flight itinerary. Therefore, it is essential to obtain airline tickets as soon as possible.

TIPS: When having photos taken for your passport and/or visa, have at least two additional photos made for travel situations that may come up (including replacing a lost/stolen passport). When purchasing your airline ticket make sure the name on the itinerary is spelled EXACTLY as it appears in your passport. If you are traveling to other countries on your own that require visas, you may want to apply for all of your visas at once, through a passport service, to eliminate multiple mailings.

How Visitors to This Blog Can Donate to the Kids of Mozambique

If you are a visitor to this blog, you can donate funds that:

1) go directly into the team donation account for the materials for a Mozambique house for Orphans and Vulnerable Children, or

2) to support a particular team member in their efforts to raise money for their expenses and airfare.

You also have a choice of donating online or over the phone.

To donate by phone, call Global Village's Customer Service Representative at 1-800-HABITAT, ext 7530, Monday-Friday, 8-5, EST. If donating online, go to www.habitat.org/gv. Click on the words "make a donation in support of a Global Village team". Fill in the required information.

If donating only to the team fund for materials (option 1 above), at the bottom of the web page, where it says "please apply this donation towards", click the third button "The Global Village team indicated below". Enter the EventCode: GV 10116. If you wish to support a particular team member, then you will go to that same website and page, except that you will click on the second button, "The following person's Global Village trip". You will enter the event code of that particular team member (GV 10116 or GV 10117), but you will also need that person's 8-digit ID number. You need to ask the team participant for their ID# and event code, or call the 800 number listed above and speak to the customer service representative.

You will receive a tax-deductible receipt for all the funds, regardless of which account you deposit your donation, and whether it's by phone or online.

If you want to make the donation anonymous, you will have to make your donation over the phone and express your wishes to the representative.

Fundraising Ideas

Fundraising is all about getting out the word – raising awareness. Your trip shouldn’t be a secret. Give friends and family the opportunity to be involved in your excitement and to contribute towards helping a family in need.

You aren’t asking for money as much as you are helping meet the needs of people….the need of those to give AND the need of those who will be receiving. We often think that the people receiving the house are the ones "in need" - but aren't we all in need at one level or another? I know for myself that the act of just going on the team is filling a need of mine. Working with a homeowner fills a need. And for those who can't go on a team, giving towards those homeowners or a team member fills a need of theirs.

Whether those you ask actually donate towards your trip and the work of Habitat or not, they STILL will know more about what Habitat is doing to help eliminate poverty housing in our world. And that’s cool too.

Set an "awareness-raising" goal along with a "fund-raising" goal - see how many people you can make aware of the housing need in this country along with how much money you raise. And no matter what, make it fun-raising as well!

Awareness/Fundraising is a big challenge for some individuals. But once you start you may find, as many previous team members have, that the response is enthusiastic and supportive. Don't limit yourself or your sponsors - there's no harm in going OVER your goal!!

Ready to start raising? Start reading, and get going!!

These ideas are ones that other team members in the past have used and willing to share. Pick the ones that suit you the best. And if you come up with something totally different, let me know so that I can share that as well.

I, personally, "sold houses" last year. I sent out a message to a lot of people - a LOT of people - just about everyone in my address book, with the idea of them "investing in real estate in Mozambique". I sold the houses for $1000 each, and much to my surprise I sold ELEVEN houses!! And most of them were by people who were a complete surprise to me - I was expecting perhaps a $100 donation, not $1000. And for those who didn't buy a whole house, many did donate an amount that was appropriate to them. I am posting a copy of my "House for Sale" letter at the end of this posting.


TOP fundraising idea used by many former teams members: It's the most often used, the most successful, and easiest. “The Letter” – sent by email and/or snail mail.
I don’t know what else to call it. But it works. Has worked over and over and over again. The response to it always surprises those who use it. Below, there is a sample letter. You will obviously have to make changes to personalize it. But you get the idea. Some folks have made this letter quite humorous, entertaining, and certainly educational. Be creative - use as much of this sample letter as you want, but make sure it has your "voice" so it doesn't sound like some form letter. Just come up with your own style, personality, and then send it off. You will be amazed at how well it works!!

We once had a team member join a team very late… she only had two weeks to raise money and pack! She didn’t have time for the usual “letter”, and just sent out a quick message to everyone in her email address book explaining briefly what she was doing and ended with “I don’t have time to explain any more right now, but you know Habitat, you know me, so send money NOW….I’ll fill you in when I get back!” And, she had her whole $2000 promised or sent within 48 hours!!!

As Millard Fuller, Habitat’s founder, once said, “I’ve tried asking and I’ve tried not asking. Not asking never works. Asking usually does.”

The sample letter has two important points for you to consider about your own letter:

1) awareness/education: it tells a little bit about how HFH works, the team, and how the monies will be used.

2) the process: it also gives specific information about how they can contribute.

Additional Tips:

a If you’re sending letters or cards by regular mail instead of email, it is a good idea to include a self-addressed stamped envelope - that helps make sure they have the correct address and that they send the check to Habitat for Humanity International's GV Department, not the general fund (it takes forever to locate a mis-designated check!) They can also call the office or go online with a credit card donation. People really like personalized letters in the mail. It costs more in time and stamps than an email, but they are very well received, and get results! There is a greater chance for delays in sending in donations by mail or even for them to get lost in the mail, so it would be better if they actually make their donation online or over the phone. But if they would prefer to send a check, make sure that the instructions for coding the check are accurate.

aIf you use the GV website (see the post called "Setting up your GV fundraising web page") for sending out an email request, you can use this same letter, and those you send it to can access the online website for donating right from a link that is sent along with your letter. They still get their tax-deductible receipt. You are also notified immediately, by email, that a donation has been made so that you can keep track and write to thank them.

aIn addition to or instead of, consider alternative giving for an upcoming graduation, birthday, anniversary or retirement. Put your letter into your announcement, asking for support for this team in lieu of a card or gift. Let colleagues know of your plans after retirement and suggest a monetary donation to Habitat instead of the usual plaque or watch.


More ideas listed below after this sample letter!

Sample Letter

January 2009

Dear friend, Greetings from under an umbrella in Oregon!

What an amazing community I live in, and what beautiful friends and family encircle me. I would like to share something wonderful and exciting that is happening with me.

The upcoming holiday seasons are for giving thanks for our multiple blessings, and to be reminded of the hope that we have for peace in our world. Hope, however, is difficult in the hearts of those who struggle daily with the affects of poverty. Living in leaky, disease-ridden shacks in unsafe environments is not how parents want to raise their children. They, like all of us, want their families to be healthy and free of danger. Part of that is having a simple, decent, affordable home in which to live.

I've been invited to participate in a Habitat for Humanity short-term mission trip this summer. As you may know, Habitat sends mission teams all over the world to help build houses for people in need. And I've been invited to go to Mozambique!

All the team members are raising funds for building materials and the expenses to make this all happen. Once we get to Mozambique, we will be working side-by-side with future homeowners and others in the village to build "emergency housing". This is a special program where Habitat is partnering with other non-profit agencies to address the phenomenally growing number of children that have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS. There are over 500,000 orphans in Mozambique alone! What makes these homes that I will be building even more special is that they will house children under the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC)Program.

You can read more about this amazing program at our team's BLOG site: http://www.gvmozambique2009.blogspot.com/

There will be 16 people from the US and Canada on this team, including me!! My personal challenge is to raise awareness of the great need in Mozambique, and to raise the funds that will be used to cover the expenses of the trip (insurance, housing, travel, meals in the village, etc) , as well as a minimum donation of $500 for building materials towards the houses and Habitat for Humanity's housebuilding program.

I am asking for your support in this endeavor. Any amount would be appreciated and you will receive a tax-deductible receipt. You can even charge it to your credit card!! Instructions on how to donate are at the end of this letter. As always, even if you can’t support the team financially, we ask for support through your prayers and well-wishes.

I will be happy to share stories and pictures with all my supporters when I return so that you can hear about all that we accomplished. Thank you for considering "joining" this team through your "investment" in me and the children in Mozambique.

By the way, for you folks that can make it, I’m hosting a wine & cheese tasting party at my house, Friday night, 7pm. Good music, as always. Your donation for this opportunity will go to the Mozambique fund. Give me a call if you can come so that I’ll have plenty to share! In partnership and with great hope,

Your name

How To Donate:

Y Please make out checks to Habitat for Humanity International, put my name, my ID# xxxx-xxxx, & "Mozambique GV 10xxx" in the “memo” portion at the bottom, and mail it in the envelope I have provided to Global Village. Make sure your current address is on the check because that is where your tax-deductible receipt will be sent.

Y Or, you can call the Habitat-Global Village office at 1-800-HABITAT, extension 7530 to give them your credit card information. Make sure you give them the trip event number (GV815) and my name and ID# xxxx-xxxx.

Y Or, you can donate online. Go to www.habitat.org/gv. Click on the words to the right, "make a donation in support of a Global Village trip". Fill out all the information, including my event number and ID# (above). If you do not receive your tax-deductible receipt in the mail within a few days, let me know.
encl.: self-addressed return envelope

OTHER FUNDRAISING SUGGESTIONS

Here’s a few more that other folks have used. Check out #1 – it has worked very successfully, and it’s fun. Some of these ideas can be incorporated in your informational letter as a way of raising money and awareness. Also, don't keep all the fundraising fun to yourself - ask family, friends and co-workers to choose one of these ideas as a way to support you - they may especially like #7, #8, #9, #10, or #11.

1) Sell “shares” of love or “shares” of hope. This works well with business or professional folks. They sell the shares for whatever they think will work: $10/share, $1/share, $100/share… whatever appeals to you and your “investors”. Folks can buy however many shares they want. You can even make up a “share certificate” to give to them. Then promise all of these “stockholders” that you will have a stockholders' meeting when you get back and give them a report on their “investment”. This “report” can be delivered at a dinner in your home, and/or can be mailed out. The report might include photos of the houses you worked on, the new homeowner families, things about your trip, how Habitat has brought hope or love into the lives of those involved, etc. Sometimes team members serve an actual dinner or dessert at this meeting that represents where they have been – like sourdough pancakes from Alaska or kiwi fruit from New Zealand, or whatever you like to do to make it fun.

2) Some people like something more tangible. “Sell” items for building the Habitat house, such as $10 for a bag of cement, $25 for window shutters, $50 replaces some worn out hand tools, $100 concrete foundation. One former team member even sold her pains! (“$10 will help me not think about my hammered fingers, $25 will help me smile even with a sore back, $100 will want to make me sing instead of complain about my aching muscles”).

3) Challenges: for example: “Every dollar you donate will be a nail I’ll pound at our local affiliate, or "for every $10, I'll bring a plate of cookies to the office".

4) Sell your "talents" - "when the office raises $250, I'll sing at lunch", "when my basketball team raises $500, I'll host the pizza party", etc.

5) Ask for sponsors in your self-designed “thon” of some sort (I’ll be walking a mile, swimming a lap, etc for every $xx donated)

6) Promise other groups, (your church, Sunday school class, civic organization) a presentation upon your return in exchange for a "hope offering" now. (this is somewhat like selling “hope shares” and having a “stockholders meeting” when you come back)

7) Non-Bake Sale Bake Sale - This one is FUN and EASY to do for those of you who like to bake/prepare a specialty item (breads, pies, tamales, sushi, etc), but don't like bake sales: Tell your friends, neighbors, office workers…put in your church bulletin… that you are going to be baking on a certain day and what you will be making. Set your price, take orders for that item in advance and let them know when they can pick it up (or when you'll deliver). For example: "I'm preparing some of my infamous sushi platters this Saturday (or every Saturday in January) for $25/platter. If you want to enjoy the best ever made while also helping eliminate poverty housing in Mozambique, please place your order with me by Thursday. You can pick it up at my house any time after 5pm, or I'll meet you at the grocery store parking lot at 6pm for an extra $5 delivery charge." And remind them, they can CHARGE IT!! (they go to the website and donate online or do it over the phone at Global Village). By taking orders, you already have your market, you know exactly how much to make, you make only the kind of delicacy you want, and you don't have to stand around at a bake sale table in front of the grocery store! If you want, especially if you are making large quantities, you can deduct your costs from what you bring in and donate the profit. This kind of fund raising is also very enjoyable to do with family & friends who would like to help you do the baking/preparation as well. Hey, do you have a Valentine cookie or candy recipe that you want to sell in advance?

8) Along the same line, there are those that have a "specialty talents" in other areas: offering house repairs for a few Saturday afternoons, cleaning, foot massages, sewing a specialty design, raffling a quilt, etc. Sometimes the project doesn't have to be complete before the trip. IE: sell raffles based on the quilt design, and tell them when it will be done (before Christmas!); or, the house painting you do may not be until you get back, but you could receive payment in advance; or your babysitting, housecleaning, plant care may start now and continue on when you get back - but you get paid for it all in advance. We all have marketable talents, so figure out how to sell yours!

9) Host a dinner, dessert, or wine & cheese tasting, in your home with your family, friends, co-workers. Tell them you are asking $5, $10, whatever you think is reasonable for your crowd to donate to your trip fund. If you like, you can deduct the costs of your food, and then donate the remainder, or you can donate all of it. If they give you cash, you will then write a check for all the cash your receive and send it in and you will get the receipt. If someone in attendance wants to donate and wants a receipt for themselves, that can be done as well. They just have to write the check to HFHI and you send that it along with other checks you receive as donations (code each check correctly as per the directions). The hosting of these parties can be a weekly or monthly event if you like. People look forward to your parties! Have others in your office or family host the parties at their home as well. Make sure you have handouts available on information about what your team is doing.... something that explains the need. Maps, pictures...it all helps.

10) Host a holiday (Valentine's, Easter) cookie decorating and/or baking party. Tell participants that you are asking for a donation – you set the minimum amount. You can supply all the pre-baked cookies and decorations, or ask them to bring some of their favorites as well. The information in #8 as to what to do with the funds is the same for this situation.

11) Host a garden tea party. Sell your plant starters, bulbs, cuttings. Knowing it's a donation for your team will usually bring a better-than-usual price. They can give cash, or write a check if they want a receipt.

Be creative – be YOU. And share your ideas with others on the team - everyone is looking for some way to make this work.

Below is a copy of my "House for Sale" letter that brought in ELEVEN $1000 donations as well as several smaller ones. You are welcome to use it if you like - but read over as it may need updated. I used this one in 2008.

Houses for sale! Interest free!

Want to buy your spouse a house for an upcoming anniversary?
How about you kids, don’t you want to buy your mom a house for Mother’s day, or one for dad for his birthday?
Or, bathe in luxury, and buy yourself a “second home”!


For only $1000 this could be a dream-come-true!


You can truly buy a house for only $1000, and children in Mozambique in the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) program will have a home, attended to by a caring adult from their community or family. They not only will have a decent, healthy, and safe house, but they will receive an education, and have access to medical attention. Their caretaker will also have access to medical attention and will hold deed to the property.

These houses are being built by Habitat for Humanity Mozambique in partnership with local, national, and international organizations that identify and care for vulnerable families through food, training, advocacy, health and educational services, prevention and basic social support.

Donors like you enable them to build more houses to address the problem of the growing number of children defined by OVC as children who have lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS or children who have sick or dying parents. There are currently over 500,000 orphans of parents who have already died from AIDS in Mozambique. Without a home, without a caring stable adult in their lives, these children are vulnerable to manipulation, disease, and bondage. You may have read in the newspaper recently where a truck with about 40 young Mozambican children were in the back, headed across a border to be used for who knows what. No one would have ever missed them. This is not only morally and ethically unacceptable, but it leads to certain political and economical disaster, not only in Mozambique but the entire region.

We are leading an all-volunteer Global Village team from Habitat for Humanity International and we will be building with Habitat Mozambique for two weeks in July 2008. The volunteers are raising funds for their own expenses, but also for at least 8 houses ($8,000) We’d like to raise enough money to build twice as many!

Can you help with that goal? Maybe you can’t buy an entire house yourself, but perhaps go in with others in your family, work place, neighborhood, or church to buy one house? Or just make a contribution for any amount that you can, and perhaps all of us together will reach our goal of 16 houses!! And to top it all off, you get a tax-deductible receipt for the full amount!

You can do this using your credit card - where else could you buy a house on a credit card??!!

Simply call 1-800-HABITAT ext 7530, Mon-Fri 8am-5pm EST, and give the representative your name, credit card info, and the amount you want to donate to the team fund of GV8125 Mozambique.

You can also go online to
www.habitat.org/gv. On the right side of that page, click on the “make a donation in support of a Global Village team”. Fill in the information, and at the end where it says “please apply this donation towards”, click the third button (“The Global Village team indicated below”) Enter the event code: GV 8125.

If you want to write a check, you can do so by making it out to HFHI (Habitat for Humanity), putting GV8125 in the memo section and mailing it to:
Bob and Leslie Bell
868 6th St.
Springfield, OR 97477

We will then submit it with all the other checks. You still receive a tax-deductible receipt, but it will take more time to process than with a credit card donation.

When we return from Mozambique, you will be sent pictures of the home you helped to build, and the children being helped by the OVC program.

Thanks for caring,

Bob and Leslie
GV team leaders

PS – more details and information on this special Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) program can be provided upon request.





Setting Up Your Fundraising Web Page

Create a FUND-RAISING Web Page
(in just minutes!!)

Create a Web page simply and easily by using the Global Village Web page design wizard at www.habitat.org/gv/create.html. Our wizard will customize a page for you, containing information about Habitat, Global Village, the specifics of YOUR trip, YOUR destination country/state, and forms for taking donations on-line or by mail for YOUR account!

Y Technical skills are not required (whew!)

Y The Web page is personalized with YOUR trip details and information (wow!) Y You can provide the Web address to family, friends, church groups and others to raise support and participation in the Global Village event (neat AWARENESS-raising tool also!)

Y E-mail a note about your GV trip to your friends and include the page’s address. Encourage them to visit your Web page. (how easy!!)

Y In fund-raising letters, refer the reader to your Web page for more information and an easy way to support you or your GV team (personal touch with techno advantages!)

Here's how, step-by-step:
Step 1: Copy and paste this address in your Web browser: www.habitat.org/gv/create.html Step 2: Enter your eight-digit Habitat ID number.
Step 3: Create a password for your page, so you can come back and edit it later if you'd like. Step 4: Enter your Global Village trip number, your name, and your e-mail address.
Step 5: They will create an example welcome message for your page. You can edit their message, or write a completely different message if you'd like.
Step 6: Your page is now ready! They'll give you the address at which your page is located. Copy this address down, so you can let friends and family know how to find your page.

You also can change the information you entered at any time. Just return to www.habitat.org/gv/create.html, enter your Habitat ID and password, and you can change your information and welcome message as needed. The system will update your page automatically with the your new information.