Tabitha Foundation Australia encourages volunteer house-building teams to travel to Cambodia to build houses for homeless Cambodians.

Most families participating in the Family Development Program are able to eventually save enough money to buy land and the materials to build a house. However, some very poor families cannot save the complete AUD1500 for a house; reasons include head of the family being a widow, single mother or landmine victim, or the family lives in a very poor area. For such families, Tabitha Cambodia brings international, volunteer building teams to Cambodia to supply the additional money and work under the direction of Khmer builders to construct simple houses.

Some of the ongoing benefits to be gained by house building as opposed to just sending money are:

• During the Pol Pot era, Khmer people were made to feel they were of no value –some Khmers still feel they are worthless. When volunteers come from overseas it helps them start believe in their own value.

• Builders can combine fund-raising with the follow up hands-on building project. This gives a sense of how their funds are directly targeted to those in need.

• Participants return home inspired by their experience of actively making a difference in another family’s life and continue to participate in further Tabitha activities and fundraising.

The house-building program commenced in 1996, with students from the international schools in Singapore and Cambodia building two houses. The program has since expanded to include students, teachers, parents, indivi duals and corporate groups. Currently, there are, on average, six teams of volunteers per month coming from Cambodia, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Australia, United States of America, United Kingdom and Canada to build houses.

Building teams are often formed within schools, companies, church groups or other organisations, groups of friends, etc. Teams pay their own costs and must contribute AUD1500 per house for materials. Building trips are coordinated with Tabitha Cambodia.

In the 2007-08 financial year 33 Australian house-building teams that visited Cambodia built a total of 284 houses to accommodate approximately 2272 Cambodians.

1. To provide an in depth and meaningful experience for foreigners visiting Cambodia. The team members will experience not only the tourist attractions but will come to understand and befriend Cambodians – both the poorest and the middle class.
2. To educate volunteers about poverty and the issues involved it is an education in the causes of poverty, the results of poverty and the solutions to poverty.
3. To become partners with Tabitha-Cambodia in our outreach team members, upon returning home, can become volunteer sales people as well as fund raisers for various projects.
4. To give Cambodians an opportunity to teach foreigners the skills of house building - rather than being taught by the foreigners – develops a deep sense of pride.
5. The families chosen represent the very poorest in their communities as well as being role models for their courage and faith in their own ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds.

Donations for house-building are tax deductible in Australia.

For information on arranging house building trips contact Jude Quarry.

All house building volunteers are required to comply with Tabitha's Child Protection Policy and sign Tabitha's Code of Conduct.