Together, We Build Lasting Bonds

A recent volunteer experience wasn't just about building houses; it was about building connections. For the first time, Habitat for Humanity Singapore granted youth aged 15 to participate in their Global Village Programme, with one special requirement: a parent or guardian had to accompany each youth volunteer. What started as a safety measure turned into a deeply memorable and extra special experience for five father-and-son-duos.

Five young men and their fathers signed up to volunteer as a team, traveling to a rural village in Batam, Indonesia with a single shared mission: to build!

The team of 10 volunteers contributed to the construction of 1 house build, and the installation of 2 vital water connections. Their efforts had a direct, positive impact on the lives of 3 families with young children, who were living in inadequate conditions and lacked access to basic amenities.

Working alongside the families in Batam, the volunteers got a firsthand look at the community and their surrounding environment. They also visited other Habitat housing and community projects that were completed, providing them with context for the critical housing needs in the village. The experience was definitely eye-opening.

Volunteer Raoul observed, "Many areas looked very worn down and needed to be fixed."

Volunteer Adam shared "(Sights of the village) gave me a culture shock of how residents here desperately need better access to basic necessities such as a liveable home environment as well as clean water."

Volunteer Ezra noted "My first impression was the many cats and chickens, and how the whole place felt like a community."

Their day at the construction site was filled with a collaborative spirit and challenges. Sweat and laughter poured into the tying of metal wiring, a crucial step for the foundational structure of a home. More than a construction task or project, this was also a special time of building lasting bonds - between youth, childhood friends who attended different schools and now had lesser opportunities to spend time together, and between fathers and sons who saw different sides and strengths in each other that were lesser seen at home or during other activities. The environment and work allowed for conversations to flow naturally, and quiet moments of concentration fostered a mutual respect that grew from working alongside each other on tasks that were new to them.

When asked to reflect on their experiences and to complete the sentence "Building a house with my father/son also builds our relationship because...", their responses highlighted the strength of working towards a common goal.

"We work together to accomplish a goal!"

"It requires us to collaborate and work together."

"It keeps (my son's) feet grounded by doing community service."

"We're doing this together, it's fulfilling."

"We get to collaborate working alongside each other, as well as knowing we are both doing something good for this community."

And when asked “Building a house with my father/son made me feel…”, they answered with overwhelming positivity.

“Happy. Building for others while building our relationship with each other.”

“Proud.”

“As a unit. We’re doing something positive together!”

These five father-and-son pairs went on a mission to build homes for others, but in the process, they unexpectedly built something equally important for themselves: a deeper, more resilient connection with each other.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Inspired to volunteer with your best buddy or family member? Check out Habitat’s programmes and register for the next volunteer opportunity!

Find out more about Project HomeWorks and Global Village: Batam Build.