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Fund raisers: Kanda University
of International School
Campus Chapter members get out the HFH message
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Award winners: members
of the Kanda
University of International School
Campus Chapter |
BANGKOK: 2nd July 2004: Two outstanding young supporters
of Habitat for Humanity’s Campus Chapter and Youth Program
and two student groups have been honored for their work in
the Asia-Pacific region.
Australian volunteer Mark Griffin and Crystal Tang, President
of Hong Kong International School’s Campus Chapter,
were this week named winners of Habitat for Humanity International
2003 International Youth Awards. Awards also went to Japan
Campus Chapter members from Osaka, and the Kanda University
of International School Campus Chapter.
The International Youth Awards recognize individuals and groups
who highlight the importance of youth in improving living
conditions of people in need. Since Habitat for Humanity International
launched the awards in 2001, nominees from the Asian-Pacific
have now won a total of 14 awards.
Mark Griffin won his award for expanding HFH Australia’s
capacity to deliver on Habitat mission to provide safe, decent,
affordable housing. He is an enthusiastic volunteer at home
and overseas. Mark has organized monthly build days with the
Western Sydney affiliate, as well as mobilizing local volunteers
and building a partnership between his church, Burwood Uniting
and the affiliate. He was also involved in Global Village,
joining
a pilot project to Samoa, a “Future Leaders Build in
Fiji”. In the words of the nomination: “Volunteers
are fuelled to come out to the build site by Mark’s
youthful enthusiasm and honest encouragement.”
“Mark’s dedication to HFH’s mission can
be seen in his actions by recruiting volunteers to the build
site, hearing him speak of his involvement with Habitat and
working with him to eradicate poverty housing.”
Outstanding volunteer:
HFHI International Youth Award winner Mark Griffin |
Campus Chapter president Crystal
Tang was recognized
for herrole as an advocate.
She organized benefit events
to raise money and awareness of Habitat’s mission
at her
school in Hong Kong. She organized one benefit –
a rockconcert – twice
as the first time the event was
cancelled because of the outbreak of Severe AcuteRespiratory
Syndrome or SARS. Crystal also helped
organize the first ever Global Village trip to Kunming,
China.
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According to her nominator, she has “a genuine passion”
for Habitat, a student leader who has spoken in front of the
student body and p arents in order to better educate them
about Habitat’s mission.
The group advocacy award went to HFH Kanda University of International
School. Chapter members were active in promoting HFH and the
issues of poverty housing on campus. They leveraged Global
Village trips the Philippines, Thailand and Sri Lanka, and
gained publicity in one of Japan’s leading newspapers.
Their twice-a-month fundraising activities not only promoted
Habitat’s message to very diverse cross section of the
Japanese society, many of whom are not aware of poverty housing
issues in any way. They also helped raised over 1,000,000
yen (about US$9,000).
The nominators note the chapter is “vibrant, active
and growing” – with 60 members, up from 25. “It
is still young but it has firmly established foundation which
ensures that it will be active for a long time serving as
a model for future campus chapters in the area.”
The final award, for leadership, went to a Global Youth Action
Team made up of nine representatives from Japanese campus
chapters, mainly from Kansai region. The Japanese chapters
had expressed an interest in doing more than raise funds and
go on Global Village trips (HFH Japan is a “non-building”
country).
The team visited the Dumaguete City affiliate in the Philippines
and conducted research on community needs beyond housing.
Their recommendations on areas such as waste management and
road links will be followed up by a second GYAP team due to
visit in September 2004.
The award nomination said the team “has conducted numerous
workshops to educate campus chapters and broaden the knowledge
base of HFHI among youth volunteers in Japan. The team has
heightened the level of understanding among Campus Chapters
in Japan as to how effectively Habitat is addressing the issue
of poverty and developing sustainable communities.”
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