Surviving a Habitat for Humanity Community Project: the DOs and DON'Ts

So last Saturday, your most gracious yours truly volunteered for Habitat for Humanity’s Blitz Build project in Candau-ay, Dumaguete City.

The project was organized by the Dumaguete City Habitat for Humanity, Inc. with the assistance of local and international volunteers from different schools, churches, government units, business establishments, civic groups and ordinary individual volunteers.

Local and international individual volunteers.
Photo courtesy of Dumaguete City Habitat for Humanity, Inc.

Volunteers were assigned to different houses: students from Kwansei Gakun University in Japan, together with Professor Nobu Imaizumi, were assigned to probably two or three houses; Teletech was assigned to another house; Silliman Medical Center Foundation, Inc. was assigned to another house; and finally, ten local and international individual volunteers were assigned to another house.

It was truly a humbling experience but nobody said it's easy. Damn right it isn’t. So here are some things you need to know before volunteering yourself:

1. Deodorant. Put lots of it. Better if you bring it along with you and share it with the carpenters and other volunteers who may forget that when we sweat, we stink. Remember that sharing is good.

2. Water is essential in building a home. Cement needs it. So does your body. You’ll be sweating A LOT. And by this, I really mean A LOT. So bring along a bottle of water. Preferably potable water.

3. Know where the site is. Know it well. Do not worship me for I did not follow this. You will pretty much end up asking for directions from other people if you do not know the exact location of the project site. Lesson learned from yours truly.

4. Gear up and not dress up. You’re not going to the mall. Plunging necklines for the women, in as much as we want to, is not a good idea. Work clothes, my dear. Loose pants, comfortable shirt, sunglass, gloves, and a hat.

5. Food. Although lunch will be provided on site for independent volunteers, you are not going to a feeding program. Bring your own food, if you want.

So there, ladies and gentlemen, five things you need to know to survive a Habitat for Humanity community project. Enjoy the experience as much as I did!

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