Town woman urges locals to volunteer with Habitat NI

It’s that time of year when we all make resolutions for the New Year. Some people resolve to give something back and make a real difference in the world, which is exactly what local Habitat NI volunteer, Caroline Kirkwood is doing.

As she prepares to lead a Global Village team to Romania this summer, Caroline is calling on the people of Banbridge to make volunteering with Habitat NI their New Year’s resolution and help to build hope and change the lives of families around the world.

Caroline is a strong supporter of Habitat NI having travelled to Poland in 2013 as part of Habitat’s Women Build programme as well as volunteering locally on a regular basis in Habitat ReStore.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

As she prepares to lead a team of 16-18 year olds from across Northern Ireland to Romania this summer, Caroline reflects on her rewarding Global Village experience in 2013. “I would strongly urge anyone making New Year’s resolutions to get involved with Habitat NI,” she said. “Travelling to Poland with Habitat NI was one of the best experiences of my life. It was so rewarding to be part of a team and work alongside the future homeowner families. It was a privilege to work alongside truly inspiring women in the local community who were determined to build a better future for their families. It gave me a true sense of how something so simple as a decent home can have a huge impact on a family.”

In 2014, Habitat NI have similar volunteer opportunities open to any individual or small group to destinations including Ethiopia, Cambodia, South Africa and Romania. Special builds including a Women Build in India are also being organised. This unique event will bring together women from all over the world to work beside local women and learn about the impact of poverty housing first hand.

Speaking about her experience in Poland, Caroline said: “It soon became clear that we weren’t just building homes, we were giving them the hand up they needed to build their own way out of poverty. It reaffirmed the unique impact of Habitat’s work on vulnerable people. I would thoroughly encourage everyone in the local community to get involved in this life changing experience and volunteer with Habitat NI in 2014.”

Habitat is hosting information sessions for anyone interested in finding out more. The next session will take place on Thursday, January 23 at 7:30pm at Habitat ReStore, Riverside Centre, Lisburn.