IN an effort to mobilize the youth volunteers to take action in community empowerment, Habitat for Humanity Philippines gathered a total of 200 youths for the Young Leaders Build 2018 Davao leg in the repainting and repair of the Barangay 21-C Hope Day Care Center in Boulevard, Davao City last April 21.
It was the culmination of the Young Leaders Build activity nationwide, there were around 1,500 Filipino youths who came for this crusade in a bid to build decent shelter and sustainable communities in eight cities in the Philippines.
These youth volunteers joined their counterparts across 17 countries in the Asia Pacific under the Habitat Young Leaders Build Campaign to support people and families in need of decent housing.
Other activities spearheaded by the youth volunteers in the Philippines include house construction, house painting, community clean-up drive, and school rehabilitation. A disaster response game and hygiene awareness activity was also conducted in select cities for children in communities.
Dolly Santos, Resource Development Manager of Habitat for Humanity, said this is the seventh run for the activity and it is the foundation's largest youth movement to date.
In the Davao City leg, there were around 200 youth volunteers who came from Ateneo de Davao University (Addu), Holy Cross of Davao College (HCDC), University of Mindanao, Davao Christian High School (DCHS), First Born Team, The Lords Righteousness Global Outreach, and other groups.
"Based on the assessment sa barangay day care center, kailangan talaga irefurbish, irehabilitate ang daycare center. This is the initiative of Davao Christian High School, we are partners with them," she said.
The activity encourages youths to take the lead and motivate their peers to build homes and communities on a Habitat build site.
The activity enables Habitat for Humanity to expand its supporter base of young people in the Asia Pacific region through physical and virtual activities, and hence to serve more families in need of a safe, decent, and affordable home.
To materialize the activity, Santos said some of the volunteers raised funds with Habitat for Humanity just pitching in some. The materials used for the repair, painting materials for the walls, ceilings, and electrical wirings, and the plumbing were courtesy of Hardwaremaxx.
“The kids should learn in a conducive and comfortable environment so aside from it being comfortable, we want to make it more colorful and beautiful to make the learning more fun," Santos said.
She also thanked major sponsors including Penshoppe, DOW Chemicals, Jollibee Foods Corporation, the Dona Salustiana Dee Foundation, Davao Christian High School, NCCC Cares and Hardwaremaxx, DMIRE Foundation, Nature’s Spring, Annipie, JYL Steel Builders, and Bianca Garcia Dizon.
The Young Leaders Build is an annual campaign that started in 2012 as a one-day volunteer activity, which has grown to mobilize eight million youths engaging on activities on-site as well as on-line.