By the time you read this, 15 intrepid members of the NSW chapter of the National Association of Women In Construction (NAWIC) will be on their way to Ithari, Nepal to take part in Habitat for Humanity Australia’s Hand in Hand Build 2011.

For 1 week, they will join 85 other Australian women in building homes for 250 poor female-headed households – as part of a larger 2-year project that seeks to empower and improve living conditions for the women of Nepal’s eastern districts of Sunsari, Jhapa and Morang who struggle to meet basic needs and are often denied access to land.

A prototype of the houses that will be built.

“We will be celebrating the centenary of International Women’s Day while we are working alongside 10 female headed families building their community,” explains Bridgeen Rocks, Business Development Manager at HASSELL and one of the 15 NAWIC members taking part in the initiative.

The seed for the project was planted by Jo-Anne Harrison of the NAWIC Chapter Council, who also sits on the board of Habitat for Humanity Australia.

“MPA Projects got behind the initiative, we promoted it through events at NAWIC and the industry involvement grew and grew, which is fantastic,” says MPA Projects’ Marketing and Relationship Director Sarah Hogan, also taking part in the build.

“Jo-Anne Harrison and [CEO of Habitat for Humanity Australia] Jo Brennan’s passion led to 100 women signing up,” enthuses Rocks.

“The NAWIC ladies are all committed to stepping outside the square and making a difference,” says Hogan.

“I think it is important for all of us to give something back to those less fortunate than us. It will be great to apply all that we do day-to-day to a project like the Hand in Hand Build. It will be great to be part of a team of women bringing different design/project management/construction expertise to the project.”

“I think we are all excited and anxious,” adds Rocks.

“This will surely make for an interesting trip!”

Taking part in the build will be:

Sarah Hogan – MPA Projects
Kat Thanos – MPA Projects
Bridgeen Rocks – HASSELL
Jo-Anne Harrison – CBRE
Liz Nicholson – Paragon
Amit Bahra – Turner & Townsend
Kathleen Crone – Broadcast Builder 
Amelia Cheever – Schiavello
Tina Nelson – Schiavello
Laura Wiesenfeld – V Arc
Kate Vandervord – ISIS
Stacey Brockman – ISIS

Stay tuned for more on NAWIC’s build for Habitat Australia, as well as other exciting NAWIC initiatives and events throughout 2011.

Habitat for Humanity
habitat.org.au

NAWIC
nawic.com.au