On the Worksite

House Dedication Ceremony

Habitat Kyrgyzstan Foundation has two main building projects that are in Bishkek city and Barskoon village.

Through volunteer labour and donations of money and materials, Habitat for Humanity builds and renovates simple, decent houses with the help of the homeowner and partner families. Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit, no-interest loans. The homeowner's monthly mortgage payments go into a revolving "Fund for Humanity" that is used to build more houses. Habitat for Humanity carries out its missions at the community level through organized groups that are called 'affiliates'.

At the moment Habitat Kyrgyzstan works on the following projects:

Building cane reed houses in Bishkek

Building or completing half-built houses

Renovating run-down apartments in Bishkek and in its outskirts

Building houses in Barskoon village, on the southern shore of Lake Issykul

General Affiliate Information:

Homes cost between $4,000-$10,000, depending on whether it has 2 or 3 rooms.

The mortgage period lasts 10 - 20 years.

Monthly payments are approximately $35 - $60/ month

"Sweat equity"- 500 hours - 2000 hours

Safety

The safety of our volunteers is extremely important to us, and we will do our best to ensure that you will not be put into risky situations on the worksite. That said, much of your safety depends on you and your ability to recognize and avoid dangerous situations.

Before you start working in any area, please survey the space around you. Look around your feet and overhead for obstacles, and organize the workspace within your reach. Be especially careful when carrying long objects (i.e. please do not hit other volunteers with the wrong end of your 4 x 4). Watch for excavations, holes, sharp edges and slippery surfaces.

Don't work at a height beyond which you are comfortable, and don't leave loose objects on the roof, ladders, or other high surface where they could fall and injure someone. Keep the work area as clean as possible, free of objects or materials that others might trip over or slip on.

While doing a task, especially when using heavy tools, be sure you are doing it correctly and safely, in a way that will neither injure you nor your fellow coworkers. If you are not sure if you are doing something correctly, ask your construction manager--they have been doing this for a long time and they are still alive. If you feel that the task you are doing is unsafe or injurious to your health, please inform your construction manager, who will assign you a different task.

First Aid

Habitat construction managers always have a first-aid kit on site. If you need medical assistance, inform your Team Leader, Work Supervisor and Volunteer Coordinator immediately.

Please note that volunteers are responsible for their own safety, and that Habitat Kyrgyzstan can not be held accountable for injuries incurred on the worksite. We will, however, do everything possible to prevent the event of an injury, as well as help as best we can should an injury occur. Again, it is critical that volunteers carry a medical insurance policy that is valid in the Kyrgyz Republic.