New home: Mohammed Mirza (center) and skilled local laborers build a house for Mohammedโs father, sister and brother in law; his mother died in the tsunami. Habitat volunteers from Singapore will work with teams of local laborers like these as they build houses for tsunami-affected families in Banda Aceh

SINGAPORE, 29^th June, 2005: Habitat for Humanity Singapore is sending its first team of international volunteers to work with the Habitatโs tsunami recovery house building in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, this weekend. Volunteers bring not only skills, but sorely needed encouragement and energy as they build alongside local volunteers and homeowners.

Since March, skilled international volunteers called ใFirst Buildersไ have supplemented Habitat for Humanityโs local staff and volunteers engaged in tsunami recovery efforts in India, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Since the first team of First Builders ๖ also from Singapore (www.hfhap.org/tsunami/news/ first_build.html ) -- went to Sri Lanka, 30 teams of 12-15 people from around the world have spent one to two weeks building permanent homes in tsunami-stricken areas. More than 40 corporate, donor and First Builder teams are scheduled to work in the four tsunami-affected countries over the next few months.

K.J. (Chris) Wong, leader of the Singapore team for Banda Aceh, said, ใWe are a diverse group ๖ an engineer, an architect, an insurance agent, a Habitat staffer and an ex-pilot. But we all share in the same belief: that we can make a difference to the lives of those who suffered in Banda Aceh. That's what draws us together.ไ

A June progress report from Habitatโs tsunami recovery project in Aceh showed 556 houses completed or in progress. The work is implemented through the Habitatโs main disaster response center in Banda Aceh, as well as centers in Meulaboh, in the southwest and in Sigli, east of Banda Aceh.

To ensure a holistic approach to rebuilding, Habitat is partnering with other non-governmental organizations, religious entities, corporations, civic groups and governments to provide the housing component of long-term community development projects. Singapore Red Cross is a major donor to the work of rebuilding in Indonesia.

Habitat for Humanity International has raised US$50 million for tsunami reconstruction in India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand from corporations and individuals around the world.