The Team Leaders

Katie Irwin

Woo hoo! I am very excited about our trip and to finally meet you all! Once we meet, there will be stories to share, and new memories to unfold. But until those moments arrive, here is a bit about me first. I am down to earth and not afraid to make fun of myself. I love learning new chords on my guitar, taking naps on Sundays, experimenting in my cooking, discovering new places, and laughing about hilarious stories told by a friend. I have an undergraduate degree in Architecture from the University of Minnesota. My past year volunteering with Habitat for Humanity in Americus, GA has been a great experience, both rewarding and refreshing, especially having had the privelege of participating in two Jimmy Carter Work Projects and other Habitat builds.

Jay Asteros

I am very excited to be joining this trip to India! Currently, I am an Associate Field Producer in the Video Department at HFHI Headquarters in Americus, GA. I have extensive international traveling experience, working both overseas as an English teacher and a musician. India will be my second Global Village trip, for I was lucky enough to lead a trip to New Zealand this past May. Not only am I looking forward in meeting everyone on the team, but I hope to use this opportunity to create a video documentation of this Global Habitat Experience.

Getting to know you...

Lou & Barb Rimbach

Lou and I are so looking forward to meeting you all, traveling to India for the first time, and working hard to make a dent in the need there. India has so much to teach us about service to others and such cultural richness to be experienced!

We are both retired, Lou from his longtime accounting positions in the automotive industry and Barb from primary school teaching. As you can see from our photo, we love outdoor activities, specifically hiking. Here we are last September, atop a glorious hill on Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Island.

With retirement we downsized from our home in Carroll Co. Md., relocating last year to a smaller home in Salisbury, on Maryland's eastern shore. Now that we have more time and freedom, we are busier than ever ! Having our only grandchild close-by may have something to do with that, but we have also become involved with groups such as the Sierra Club, working on environmental issues and local Habitat projects.

Lou also volunteers as a financial counselor for low income folks having problems, and we have continued our commitment to church mission outreach activities, specifically rebuilding work in the Gulf. Lou was in New Orleans with the Red Cross just after Katrina hit, and he has returned to help at least seven times since. Barb has accompanied him twice to devastated Mississippi areas.

We do our best to stay active, Lou rides a bike and Barb walks. We also love gardening, good books, good movies, good food (Indian is a favorite !) good wine, and traveling ... the year ahead looks really promising!

Brian Hanby

I'm a second generation Texan living on the Gulf coast. If pressed, I'd describe myself as a funny, pretty smart, often nerdy, artistically inclined, potential under-achiever gainfully employed with a large government contractor. I'm a web developer (and have been for the last dozen or so years). I feel most like me when I'm outside, but spend my working days in the house that I've been buying for the last 9 years. I'm older brother to a lil red-headed sister. She's one of my favorite people. I enjoy reading, but rarely do as television programming keeps improving. I studied science at university - earned a 4 year degree in 6.

I'm some traveled (sixteen countries, thirty-something states). New to Habitat but jumping in with both feet. I tell short stories that come out too long... Am inclined to laugh at dumb jokes, physical comedy and in awkward moments. Additionally, I like shelling peanuts, skipping rocks, bagel schmears, flotillas of $5 inflatables, alliteration, guitar, westerns, belt buckles, hair pomade, emerging Internet technologies, Mac OS X, old friends, girls who sing, talkable talkies. I'm a pretty good listener. I try to do the right thing. Granny says I'm handsome - she's 92. And tells me that I'm smart like she is every time I remind her how to bring up a DVD on A/V input 2.

I am Brian Hanby.

Sue Romweber

Sue Romweber lives and work in NYC. She is a post-producer in advertising, an avid runner, a yogi, and a gardener.

Dave & Marie Henry

Marie just retired from nursing last July. And I'm a retired meteorologist as of a few years ago. We live in Berkley, Massachusetts. We have three grown children and enjoy biking, hiking, and visiting our grandchildren in Oregon. Marie also likes to roller blade & does several volunteer activities. My hobby is programming on the computer. We've spent quite a bit of time with yard work & gardening this spring. Marie has been on several Habitat builds, and I've also enjoyed a previous one together. We very much look forward to this Global Village build in India and meeting all the other team members.

Jake Carling

Hi my name is Jake, and this will be my first time in Asia. I’m also a Global Village virgin. Having said that, I’m familiar with HFH because I’m a building supervisor for the New York affiliate where we are currently constructing Habitat’s largest multifamily project to date. It’s a four-story, 41-unit complex in Brooklyn, that’s aiming to achieve a LEED Silver Certification as well. I’ve also attended a JCRWP back on the west coast, in Los Angeles.

Even though I work in NYC, I’m a laid back guy from out West. So having grown up in Salt Lake City, I can ski or snowboard double black diamonds and my concept of heaven is 18 inches of Wasatch powder. I performed at the 2002 Winter Olympic Opening Ceremonies but would rather have rode in the half pipe during the games.

I graduated from the University of Utah with a journalism degree and placed in the top 15, nationally, in the William Randolph Hearst Competition for radio broadcasting. All of which translated to my career in construction. Other than that, I love being in the mountains, boating, laying around a beach, eating at a sidewalk café, dancing to good music, and getting my back scratched.

Virginia Graham

Hi! My name is Virginia and I just graduated from business school at Northwestern in June. I'm taking the summer off to travel before starting a job in the fall. Travel plans for the summer include Italy, France, Morocco, Washington DC, Martha's Vineyard, San Francisco, Argentina, Chile and finally India. After all that, I go back to real life when I start working for a consulting firm in New York, my hometown. I was born and raised in New York and am excited to return to real pizza after my short stint in the Midwest. Apart from travel, my interests include modern dance, Broadway musicals and baking. I'm really looking forward to my first Habitat trip!

Gene & Kara Lewis

Gene and Kara Lewis are both originally from North Carolina but now call South Carolina home. We each work for different areas of State government; Kara works in public health policy for elderly long-term care while Gene is a loan analyst for public water utilities. In our real lives we stay busy visiting family in North Carolina, keeping our 8 year-old nephew and playing with our golden retriever, “Buddy” (sometimes responsible for the below-mentioned renovations). We are active in our church and also volunteer with the international Christian ministry, “The Voice of the Martyrs”. Lately, we’ve been conducting our own minor “habitat renovations” which have kept our home in a state of chaos for countless weeks! This will be our 4th Global Village trip, having previously built in Romania once and Hungary twice. To our knowledge those houses are still standing! We look forward to meeting this India Habitat team!

Shorieh Talaat

I am looking forward to my first project for GV India 2008 as a part of my sabbatical leave for this year. I am a professor of Architecture and Construction Technologies at Montgomery College in Rockville Maryland and an Architect in private practice. I am of Egyptian descent, born and raised in the US. I have lived and traveled in Egypt, and worked on archeological surveys in Jordan and Israel. My educational background includes study at San Francisco Art Institute in Ceramic Sculpture, a BS in Architecture and a Masters in Architecture from the University of Maryland. My work as an educator and Architect keeps me quite busy but I do find time to work in my recently renovated studio. I enjoy working with my hands so my hobbies include throwing pottery, mixed media sculpture, metalwork and carpentry. I have two teenage sons and one teenage Boxer. They have taught me patience.

Betty Sears

Hi! My name is Betty and I am very excited about traveling to India for the first time and meeting everybody on the team. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, but I also love New England (especially all the trees). I received a BA in Environmental Economics and Politics from Scripps College (Claremont, CA) in 2006 and have been working as an environmental consultant in Pasadena, CA since then. While I do enjoy my job, I am currently applying to business school to start a new path in my life. This will be my first time volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. I have some experience in home construction, having repaired/replaced leaky roofs and gutters, water pipes, toilets, heating ducts, ceramic tiles, and other parts of my old house. My hobbies include hiking/camping, dancing, watching action movies, pretending I can cook, hanging out with friends and family, and trying new things (as long as there is no bungee jumping or parachuting involved). I love animals, don't mind long plane trips, and am a hot dog connoisseur. But overall, I'm just an easy-going and friendly person.

Welcome Letter from HFH India

Habitat for Humanity India is extremely happy to extend its loving greetings and hearty welcome to you all for participating in Global Village Program in India. We appreciate your efforts in spending your time, energy and money to bring about a change in the housing scenario of our country.

It is my proud privilege to share some facts on Habitat for Humanity India with you. HFH India is a people oriented non-profit housing organization, affiliated to Habitat for Humanity International USA. HFH India is a registered Trust. The National office is situated in Mumbai. During the last 20 years Habitat in India has built over 17,000 houses for families irrespective of caste, creed and language. Structurally, we operate through the four Habitat Resource Centers located at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore. At present, we have 4 satellites and numerous partner NGOs across the country. As we build partnership with the homeowners to provide decent shelter, we were also drawn to respond to natural disasters, like earthquake in Gujarat and Tsunami on the East Coast of India. Jimmy Carter Work Project (JCWP) was a prime event of the year 2006. Our hope to reach many more needy families has been nurtured through JCWP. It was also a milestone in our road to reach 50,000 families in the next five years.

Partnership is at the very heart of the mission of Habitat for Humanity. The entire ministry revolves around partnerships – between home partners and Habitat, the haves and the have-nots, churches and home partners, churches and Habitat, businesses / NGOs and Habitat – the list is ever-expanding. As spelt out in the Goal of this organization, all the above partnerships serve to “place shelter on the hearts and minds of people in such a powerful way that poverty housing and homelessness become socially, politically and religiously unacceptable in our nations and world.” This is what HFH India is also aiming to achieve.

We consider each member of Global Village teams visiting our satellites and partners through our HRCs as important partners who make valuable contribution to achieve our goal of achieving an “India without Shacks”. We are touched by your generosity to be part of our mission and we hope that we will have a long-term friend and well wisher in you.

We once again welcome you to our country and hope you will have a memorable experience.

Yours in HFH India Service


Mahesh H. Lobo
Director - Volunteer Program
Habitat for Humanity, India

What We Will See...

The DILLI HAAT

The DILLI HAAT provides the ambience of a traditional Rural Haat or village market, but one suited for more contemporary needs. Here one sees a synthesis of crafts, food and cultural activity. DILLI HAAT transports you to the magical world of Indian art and heritage presented through a fascinating panorama of craft, cuisine and cultural activities. The word Haat refers to a weekly market in rural, semiurban and sometimes even urban India. While the village haat is mobile, flexible arrangement, here it is crafts persons who are mobile.

The DILLI HAAT boasts of nearly 200 craft stalls selling native, utilitarian and ethnic products from all over the country. The Food and Craft Bazar is a treasure house of Indian culture, handicrafts and ethnic cuisine. A unique bazaar, in the heart of the city, it displays the richness of Indian culture on a permanent basis. It is a place where one can unwind in the evening and relish a wide variety of cuisine without paying the exhorbitant rates. Step inside the complex for an altogether delightful experience for either buying inimitable ethnic wares, savouring the delicacies of different states or by simply relaxing in the evening with friends and your family.


Delhi Haat is the place where you can find the food of most of the Indian States. Come stimulate your appetite in a typical ambience. Savour specialties of different states. The Makki Ki Roti and Sarson Ka Sag of Punjab; Momos from Sikkim; Chowmein from Mizoram; Dal - Bati Choorma from Rajasthan; Shrikhand, Pao-Bhaji and Puram Poli of Maharashtra; Maher Jhol from Bengal; Wazwan, the ceremonial Kashmiri feast; Idli, Dosa and Uttapam of South Indian and Sadya, the traditional feast of Kerala, all are available under one roof.

City Centre (Connaught Place)


Named after the Duke of Connaught, a member of the British royal family and now recently renamed Rajiv Chowk, 'CP' was intended to be the shopping arcade of the 'new' capital of Lutyen's Delhi in the mid 1930's, and is located right in the heart of Delhi; it is her epicenter, designed as a set of concentric circles. CP is an architectural splendor with its colossal white old colonial style buildings.

Famous For: The most popular of the radial roads leading off from City Centre is Janpatha treasure trove for shoppers, especially bargain hunters there are scores of Tibetan stalls and other shops selling all manner of craft item, handcraft, curios, besides a few book stall and snack joints, ethnic wear, kohlapuri chappals, Rajasthani paintings and brassware another absolute treat for the shopper is the government run Central Cottege Industries Emporium where you are offered a wide and rare collection of Indian artifacts from different corners of the country. Another place to visit is the underground Palika Bazaar an air-conditioned underground shopping centre with stalls of ready-to-wear, costume, jewellery, accessories, books and a lot of odds and ends.

Weekend Cultural Activities/Special Destinations

QUTAB MINAR

Qutab Minar is a soaring, 73 m-high tower of victory, built in 1193 by Qutab-ud-din Aibak immediately after the defeat of Delhi's last Hindu kingdom. The tower has five distinct storeys, each marked by a projecting balcony and tapers from a 15 m diameter at the base to just 2.5 m at the top. The first three storeys are made of red sandstone; the fourth and fifth storeys are of marble and sandstone. At the foot of the tower is the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, the first mosque to be built in India. An inscription over its eastern gate provocatively informs that it was built with material obtained from demolishing '27 Hindu temples'. A 7 m-high iron pillar stands in the courtyard of the mosque. It is said that if you can encircle it with your hands while standing with your back to it your wish will be fulfilled.


The origins of Qutab Minar are shrouded in controversy. Some believe it was erected as a tower of victory to signify the beginning of the Muslim rule in India. Others say it served as a minaret to the muezzins to call the faithful to prayer. No one can, however, dispute that the tower is not only one of the finest monuments in India, but also in the world. Qutab-ud-din Aibak, the first Muslim ruler of Delhi, commenced the construction of the Qutab Minar in 1200 AD, but could only finish the basement. His successor, Iltutmush, added three more storeys, and in 1368, Firoz Shah Tughlak constructed the fifth and the last storey.



HUMAYUN’S TOMB

Near the crossing of Mahura road and Lodhi road, this magnificent garden tomb is the first substantial example of Mughal architecture in India. It was buit in 1565 A.D.nine years after the death of Humayun, by his senior widow Bega Begam. Inside the walled enclosure the most notable feature are the garden squares (chaharbagh) with pathways water channels, centrally located well proportional mausoleum topped by double.


THE BAHAI TEMPLE

East of Nehru place, this temple is built in the shape of a lotus flower and is the last of seven Major Bahai's temples built around the world. Completed in 1986 it is set among the lust landscaped gardens. The structure is made up of pure white marble The architect Furiburz Sabha chose the lotus as the symbol common to Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Islam. Adherents of any faith are free to visit the temple and pray or meditate. Around the blooming petals there are nine pools of water, which light up, in natural light. It looks spectacular at dusk when it is flood lit.



BIRLA MANDIR

Laxmi Narayan Temple, also known as Birla Mandir , is one of Delhi's major temples and a major tourist attraction. Built by the industrialst G.D. Birla in 1938, this beautiful temple is located in the west of Connaught Place.

The temple is dedicated to Laxmi (the goddess of prosperity) and Narayana (The preserver). The temple was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi on condition that people of all castes be allowed to enter the temple.


JAMA MASJID

This great mosque of Old Delhi is the largest in India, with a courtyard capable of holding 25,000 devotees. It was begun in 1644 and ended up being the final architectural extravagance of Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor who built the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort.

The highly decorative mosque has three great gates, four towers and two 40 m-high minarets constructed of strips of red sandstone and white marble. Travellers can hire robes at the northern gate. This may be the only time you get to dress like a local without feeling like an outsider , so make the most of it.


INDIA GATE

At the centre of New Delhi stands the 42 m high India Gate, an "Arc-de-Triomphe" like archway in the middle of a crossroad. Almost similar to its French counterpart, it commemorates the 70,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting for the British Army during the World War I. The memorial bears the names of more than 13,516 British and Indian soldiers killed in the Northwestern Frontier in the Afghan war of 1919.


The foundation stone of India Gate was laid by His Royal Highness, the Duke of Connaught in 1921 and it was designed by Edwin Lutyens. The monument was dedicated to the nation 10 years later by the then Viceroy, Lord Irwin. Another memorial, Amar Jawan Jyoti was added much later, after India got its independence. The eternal flame burns day and night under the arch to remind the nation of soldiers who laid down their lives in the Indo-Pakistan War of December 1971.

RED FORT

The red sandstone walls of the massive Red Fort (Lal Qila) rise 33-m above the clamour of Old Delhi as a reminder of the magnificent power and pomp of the Mughal emperors. The walls, built in 1638, were designed to keep out invaders, now they mainly keep out the noise and confusion of the city. The main gate, Lahore Gate, is one of the emotional and symbolic focal points of the modern Indian nation and attracts a major crowd each Independence Day.


THE PARLIAMENT HOUSE

The Parliament house is a circular colonnaded building. It also houses ministerial offices, numerous committee rooms and an excellent library as well. Conceived in the Imperial Style, the Parliament House consists of an open verandah with 144 columns





THE TAJ MAHAL


Taj Mahal of India - "the epitome of love", "a monument of immeasurable beauty". The beauty of this magnificent monument is such that it is beyond the scope of words. The thoughts that come into the mind while watching the Taj Mahal of Agra is not just its phenomenal beauty, but the immense love which was the reason behind its construction. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan got this monument constructed in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, with whom he fell in love at the first sight. The very first sight of the Taj Mahal, the epitome of love and romance leaves one mesmerized.


Standing majestically on the banks of River Yamuna, the Taj Mahal is synonymous with love and romance. It is believed that the name "Taj Mahal" was derived from the name of Shah Jahan’s wife Mumtaz Mahal an means "Crown Palace". The purity of the white marble, the exquisite ornamentation, precious gemstones used and its picturesque location, all make Taj Mahal travel gain a place amongst the most popular ones.



AGRA FORT


Situated on the bank of river Yamuna, the Agra Fort today, stands as a citadel of the past that has witnessed centuries slip by. Built in red stone, the Agra fort stretches almost two kilometres on the bank of the Yamuna. A huge wall that stands 69 ft in height encircles the crescent shaped fort. With only two main gates built to enter the fort, the impregnable stature of the fort becomes amply clear. The two gates are named the Delhi gate and the Amar Singh Gate.


Once inside the Agra Fort, one comes across a number of mosques and palaces, most of them are built in white marble and red stone during the rein of Akbar, Jehangir and Shah Jahan. At one point of time in the 16th century, the fort used to house a small city.

Global Build at a Glance

Location: Bhaleswa, Delhi
Dates: 28 September – 6 October 2008

Total houses (GlobalBuild): 25

Design: A one storey house, two rooms, kitchen and toilet with concrete columns and concrete roof
Materials: Bricks, cement, steel rods, concrete cast roof

Volunteers: 150 (International and national)
Project Partner: Chethanalaya

The Project:

The people of Bhaleswa live a dehumanized existence. The resettlement colony came into existence in 1999. Some 5,000 households from other slums were shifted during then. But now, due to further relocation of more slums in Delhi, the number of families have doubled to 10,000 settlements in the area. Insufficient food and lack of potable water is a common and daily experience of the majority. Many people, especially the children and women, suffer from water borne diseases. The lack of proper and adequate shelter, electricity, proper drainage infrastructure, sanitary facilities (poorly maintained community toilets used on a payment basis) and access to healthcare facilities, opportunities to education etc. are some of the major problems that have pushed these families to the fringes and have rendered their lives devoid of dignity and value.

These families of Bhaleswa are migrants from different states of the country. They were resettled in Bhaleswa where even the basic minimum facilities like water, electricity, health care etc. are denied. People still live in make shift houses exposed to the fury of extreme heat during summers and numbing chill during winters.

Situated at Northeast of Delhi by the National Highway between Delhi and Haryana, some 25 Kms from Central Delhi is a home for ten thousand poor families resettled at an open stretch of barren land in temporary houses. These families were leased out a plot of land measuring 15x10 feet or 22x10 feet on a down payment of Rs. 7,000. The civic amenities are basic or substandard.

Partnerships:

The project will be implemented in partnership by the three agencies, namely, Habitat for Humanity India, South Indian Bank New Delhi and Chetanalaya. Two thirds of the total cost will be provided on the basis of loan by South Indian Bank, New Delhi, and one third of the cost by Habitat Humanity International wherein Chetanalaya will act as the implementing and monitoring agency. The cost of the houses will be issued as an interest free loan to the home partners (beneficiaries) and the repayment recovered will go into a pool of revolving fund for construction of further houses.

• Chetanalaya (‘House of awareness’), a social work wing of Catholic Diocese of Delhi, is a registered NGO involved in the upliftment of the weaker section. It has been working in more than 12 slums and resettlement colonies of Delhi and villages of Haryana during the past 35 years with an array of interventions for prevention of child labour, prevention of human trafficking, education of the marginalized, community health, SHGs & micro finance, housing for the poor slum dwellers etc. Chetanalaya proposes to build low cost houses for the families through the self help groups which are animated by it. The estimated cost of individual house is Rs. 70,000 and the project envisages to build 100 houses in the first phase of one years’ time. Later, another 400 more houses will be built in the later .

• Habitat for Humanity India launched the IndiaBUILDS campaign along with the prestigious Jimmy Carter Work Project 2006. IndiaBUILDS is a five year national campaign to shelter and provide stability to 50,000 families thereby improving the quality of life of over 250,000 people. The campaign aims to raise US$100 Million to provide for decent, affordable shelters to 50,000 families that would also result in a US$50 Million revolving fund that would go on to build several thousand homes after the campaign ends. The campaign also seeks to inspire over a million volunteers to affect perceptions and attitudes, draw in resources and sustain partnerships in its Herculean efforts to realize this end.