Building hope in Indonesia• Global Village 12384• February - March 2012• Git Git, Bali, Indonesia

• 2 simple, strong houses for 2 homeless families• 200 students in 1 local public school• clean water infrastructures for up to 100-families

• 21 volunteers from 10 countries

• 30 generous donors

Building houses for the poor in my birthplace Indonesia was something that I had wanted to do for a long time. In Feb 2012, the three-year wait was finally over when I joined 20 other volunteers from nine countries for a two-week journey that eventually changed the lives of two families in the most fundamental way. We collaborated with the locals, immersed ourselves in their culture and inspired them, particularly the young ones, of the brighter future that lies ahead. It truly was the experience of a lifetime...

Growing up in Indonesia and having survived a bloody uprising in 1998, I understand the frustration of the poor who lack basic infrastructure, such as housing, to live a decent life. Hearing about Habitat for Humanity for the first time in 2009, I instantly thought of organising a team for a build in the country. Unfortunately, at the time, I had neither the experience nor construction expertise to lead, so I decided to join Neale’s and Heather’s team in Malaysia, where I had a time of my life! The moment I heard of this trip in late 2011, I signed up right away, knowing that I will build with seasoned Habitat volunteers in a country that means so much to me.

Upon my arrival in Bali, I was amazed to meet such a diverse team of 21 volunteers from 9 countries. With backgrounds covering business – large and small, academics, government, non-profit and skills such as rocket science, marketing, management, investment banking, biological science, project management, consulting, carpentry and arts, I knew I would have an incredible time! In addition, this would be different to the last one, because it’s in my birthplace. Everything looked familiar but I wasn’t in holiday mood - I was there to make a difference.

GIVING SHELTERS FOR TWO FAMILIES IN DIRE NEEDWhen one thinks of Bali, one will imagine an island paradise with beautiful beaches and tourist attractions. That, unfortunately, is not the case with the villagers of Goblek where we did our build for the two-week period. The village is located at the northern, mountainous area of Bali where villagers do not have the same access to opportunities as their counterparts from the coastal areas do. Not only are they so isolated from the other Balinese, they also struggles to get access to basic needs, such as clean water - 3 km hike up and down the mountain with buckets of water is a daily routine for these people.

When we arrived at the build site for the first time, we were greeted by friendly locals who were very keen to work with us in the next 2 weeks. At 1,000 m above sea-level, I was pleasantly surprised to find the significantly milder temperature than that of Malaysia and the breathtaking scenery. We quickly split ourselves into two teams and started our work with our beneficiaries, Sukiasa and Budiarta families, as well as local workers and kids! We dug trenches and septic tanks, laid foundations, erected walls and installed the tin roofs together with these heartwarming people. At the end of the two weeks, not only did we give Goblek village and the two families two strong houses, some artists in the team also managed to decorate the interiors with stylish colours and patterns!

Neale Kemp AustraliaHeather McIlhany USAJacquiline Johnson USAMaureen Malley CanadaRita McCaffrey USAMohsen Kazma DubaiAndre Ruoti USA

Hal Taylor USADanielle Eely CanadaScott Voysey CanadaJohn Riccardi USA

Will Edwards Australia/Singapore

Rima Sirhan PalestineMichael Feinglass USA

Andy Culley USASarvin Haghighi IranAmy Mai USA/ChinaEmily Kenny USALaura Schrage USA/GermanyMatt Hodgson Canada

Aswin Andrison Australia/ Indonesia

Copyright © 2012 by Aswin Andrison Page 1

DELIVERING PROFOUND IMPACTSNeedless to say, the locals were extremely thankful of our work. Not only did we provide shelter for two needy families and spark the local economy by purchasing goods, such as raw materials, labours and food, we also got the children from the neighbourhood involved and became examples for them to always help others as much as they can. After playing multiple games of soccer and working closely with them at the build site, we also visited their school to make them aware of the world beyond their village. On a world map, we told them where we come from, how our home countries are like and what we do. The kids were amused to meet people with backgrounds beyond their imaginations! Hal, the rocket scientist who used to design space shuttles and work on multiple NASA launches, told them to work hard in his address. He said “If all of you study hard enough, the first astronauts to walk on the surface of planet Mars will be among you.”

Personally, the most moving moment was when we had our closing ceremony at the build site. Pak Nengah Sukiasa, one of the two beneficiaries, emotionally said to us “We are really grateful for your generosity, working very hard with us and providing us with beautiful homes. Finally, we have roofs to shelter us at night and the children no longer need to be drenched from the monsoon rain. All of these are possible because of each and every one of you. If you happen to come back to Bali one day, please, please visit us again here in Goblek! We will welcome you with open hearts…”

Hearing these sincere words, I thought I did quite well to successfully hold my tears. But when the local builders, whom I talked to afterwards, told me that I was the first Indonesian-born volunteer to ever participate in their many builds and that I have set an example for many others to follow, I was extremely humbled and tears started running down my cheeks.

There are heroes in this world. Some fought in battles and brought back victories. Others fed the poor and liberated the oppressed from tyrannies. Whilst my mates went to Bali not just to build houses but also to have a bit of fun and time off from their busy lives, they gave the beneficiaries homes - the most basic prerequisite for families to flourish. In addition, they have inspired the locals to do the same if, one day, they are in a position to do so. With or without them realising, they have changed the lives of these people. They, undoubtedly, have become heroes in the eyes of these people and will be remembered for a long, long time. I personally have found more meanings in life and would like to sincerely thank my team leaders - Heather and Neale, team mates, donors and supporters for their unwavering support to make this incredible endeavour possible.

Bali was only the beginning of our work there. In the mountainous region of Goblek, water is scarce and the villagers need to walk at least for 3 km to collect water on daily basis, in addition to harvesting rain water with traditional equipment. Thanks to the generosity of my donors - we raised $2,400 in addition to the primary donations accumulated for the two houses. We are currently working with Habitat Bali to finance an upcoming project: installing fresh water and sanitation infrastructures for up to 100 families in the area.

IMMERSING INTO THE LOCAL CULTUREBorn and raised in Indonesia, I speak Bahasa Indonesia fluently. This came in handy when we interacted with the locals and I did everything I could help my team mates learn some Indonesian words. When they learned some words, some of them were cheeky enough to combine words into meaningless, but hilarious-sounding phrases, which helped breaking the ice and built intimate relationships with the locals.

In addition to learning the language, my teammates immersed themselves into the local cultures by visiting a local cultural show in which we played the traditional instrument, gamelan, and danced energetically with the locals! Whilst I was familiar with gamelan and Balinese dance, I was struck by the energy and cheerfulness of the musicians and dancers - we really had a wonderful time!

Copyright © 2012 by Aswin Andrison Page 2

GV12384 Team Leaders, Neale Kemp and Heather McIlhany, posing with the completed house and the new happy owner, pak Nengah.