Building Hope: A Returning Student's Trip to Hungary
- Community
- Aramco Brats
Author: Lindsey Brockish
Released 7 August 2006
Girl Power
Photograph Contributed by Charlie Franck
Taking a break
Photograph Contributed by Charlie Franck
A group of returning Aramco students traveled to Hungary to participate in a service project for Habitat for Humanity. Charlie Franck and Julie Brockish led the group of eighteen enthusiastic students to Csurgo, in rural, southern Hungary to help build houses for local community members in need.
The volunteer group worked framing two duplex houses alongside the families who, upon completion will live in these four units. The homes are expected to be finished and dedicated in June 2007. The Aramco group was the 40th group to volunteer with the Csurgo Habitat affiliate, which has built simple but decent homes for over 100 community members since it’s inception in 2002. Local families living in substandard homes are eligible to make application and receive interest-free loans, financed by Habitat for Humanity. In addition to the loans, family’s members are expected to labor at least 100 hours; on either their own or future Habitat homes. By combining interest-free loans, volunteer donations, with family and Habitat volunteer builders, homes prices can be kept at the level in which families can afford these simple but decent homes.
Team Work
Photograph Contributed by Charlie Franck
The sense of social responsibility was strong among the team members and as the final days approached conversations were already taking place about joining next years build and coming for the dedication of the house we all helped build.
Habitat for Humanity-Hungary was pleased to host Hungary’s first volunteer team from Saudi Arabia.