Youth Build continues to reach out

Habitat for Humanity Philippines is all geared up for its first major event this year. Starting April 8, the youth will find themselves working side by side with different kinds of people, garbed in their favorite construction outfit and sweating it out under the sun for Youth Build 2002.

Now on its third year, Youth Build will once again prove that today's generation is strongly committed to reach out and help families in need. YB 2002 is targeted to build 250 houses, with the youth sector leading the event in 20 sites around the country. Western Batangas HFH, Metro Cebu HFH, Butuan HFH, Inc. and HFH Muntinlupa have confirmed their participation as focal sites in the Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and National Capital Regions respectively.

In the Asia Pacific region, five other Habitat country affiliates hope to replicate the success of this project. Thailand, Indonesia, East Timor, Mongolia and Malaysia will host their first Youth Build between March and June.

The project is actually a pioneering initiative of Habitat Philippines, which conceptualized a youth program inspired by the tremendous participation of youth volunteers in the 16th Jimmy Carter Work Project held in the Philippines in 1999. Youth Build was launched in summer 2000, with more than 17,000 volunteers constructing 300 houses in 14 different sites across the country.

YB 2001 affirmed the youth sector's awareness about their responsibility to society. "Strike a balance," YB 2001 chairperson Bernie Liu encourages the youth. "It's good to party, but we should also remember our social responsibility."

But YB is not purely about volunteers doing construction work; it is also an opportunity for the youth to deepen their involvement by undertaking their own fundraising activities, and possibly even sponsoring a house. Youth Build is a venue for people to share their talents and creativity, working hand in hand with all sectors.