Journeys of Hope

The Hope Journeys program in Cambodia continues to grow bigger and brighter.  This summer, Habitat for Humanity Cambodia hosted two back-to-back Hope Journeys in June and July, bringing incredible experiences to participants, staff and home partners.  We had the privilege to host returning loyal supporters, as well as Habitat for Humanity International Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Reckford for a second time.

An international board member of Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) and Habitat Cambodia WatSan project donor Scott Sellers led the first group.  He was joined by his wife Keely and their children Ross, Kaitlyn and Alyssa as they returned to Cambodia for the third time.  They were joined for the first time by their two older daughters Danielle and Brianne as well as Mat and Valerie Smith and their two young sons Thatcher and Sumner, Deborah Emri and daughter Olivia, Dana Hamilton and daughter Tamar, and Lala Baldelovar of HFHI Asia Pacific.

The group spent their entire seven-day journey in Siem Reap.  Their trip began by learning about the history of Cambodia and over-all development needs of the country with a visit to a floating village on Tonle Sap Lake.  Their group’s build projects included renovating the traditional wooden Khmer-style house of Loy Khei and his wife Yu Chhun in Char Rokar Village, Angkor Chum District together with the homeowners and construction workers as well as building four toilets in nearby Kork Thnong Village for the families of Soeung Huor, To Nga, Yin Chantrea, and Phuot Chheng.  

Lack of clean water and proper sanitation facilities are major problems faced by a majority of rural families.  In Siem Reap alone, fifty percent of families do not have access to clean water, and seventy percent do not have access to a proper toilet.  The Sellers family is funding a project in Siem Reap that helps more than 400 families and more than 700 schoolchildren in three villages to gain access to clean water and proper sanitation facilities.

The group was able to meet with members of local Sanitation Action Groups, Water User Groups, and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene groups active in local schools.  The participants were able to see first-hand how communities are mobilized around their commitment to bring about behavioral change, guided by the principles of Community-Led Total Sanitation approach, a community mobilization approach that Habitat Cambodia applies in its WatSan projects. In just two days, the Hope Journeys program team comprising Habitat Cambodia staff and HFHI staff (Tamara Foglio and Liza Vega-Smart) was ready for the next Hope Journeys group led by Jonathan Reckford, who was here along with his daughter Lily, Richard Georgi, Steve Hennessey, Steven and Larissa Herda.  This group began their journey in Phnom Penh and concluded their experience in Siem Reap.

They first learned about the more recent history of the country by visiting Choeung Ek (The Killing Fields) and Toul Sleng (Genocide Museum).   The group learned about housing issues while visiting informal settlements in Phnom Penh, and the specific needs of families who are vulnerable because of HIV/AIDS, and had the opportunity to visit the current living space of their home partner Soy Long; she, her mother, 14-year-old son and twelve-year- old daughter were living near a dumpsite in a space made from scrap wood, with a worn-out tarpaulin for their roof.

The visit there set the entire journey into perspective, allowing them to understand the prevailing problems of the country more deeply.  One of the participants, Larissa Herda said, “This experience is very moving.  You will never really know the depth of the problem until you see it first hand, and view these harsh realities faced by families in their day-to-day lives.”

The group worked all week alongside Soy Long to build her family a new four-meter by six-meter brick house in Trapang Kror Per village, Kandal Province. They also met other Habitat Cambodia home partner families during a community visit.  It was then when Jonathan Reckford was able to see the families he built within the 2012 Hope Journeys, Meng Nat and her children and Theoun Visal and his siblings.  Reckford was very delighted to see them doing well in their homes and said, “They are so much healthier now.  Seeing the transformation in their lives makes me want to work for Habitat forever.”

During the Siem Reap portion of their journey, the group visited a water and sanitation project and spent time playing traditional games with children at one of the primary schools that Habitat Cambodia supports.

Every day it took each group at least one and a half hours to travel to their site just to be able to serve; it was extremely hot and humid in the day and rains poured in the afternoon, but they all happily stepped out of their comfort zones in order to serve others.  The dedications that each group experienced were full of joy.

Everyone felt that something extremely worthwhile had been accomplished and found it difficult to say goodbye to the home partners.  “It brings me so much joy seeing the happiness in a home partner’s face during dedication,” Scott Sellers said.

Indeed, the week allowed the Hope Journeys participants time to understand families’ living conditions; listen to their hopes, dreams, and simply share fun moments together.  “I have been coming here with my family for three years now, and my favorite part is being able to build relationships with the families we serve and with Habitat Cambodia.  I treat them all as my family here in Cambodia,” said Ross Sellers.

Hope Journeys are unique travel experiences designed by Habitat for Humanity, which provide an opportunity for participants to help transform communities.  In addition to working alongside home partner families, the participants connect with community people and different stakeholders to gain a solid understanding of the many challenges faced by those living in poverty.  They witness firsthand how Habitat for Humanity transforms lives, and become a part of the solution to poverty housing for the long-term.  Jonathan Reckford and Scot Sellers were in the same Hope Journeys in Cambodia in 2012.  The Hope Journeys participants bring not only generous funding for communities, but also warm smiles to families, and each participant gains a different sense of appreciation of the meaning of ‘giving HOPE’ and ‘family.

The third and fourth Hope journeys in Cambodia were successfully completed, and promises to bring more support to many families in the next years.  Indeed, old friendships were celebrated, and new friendships and great memories were built in the ever-growing Hope Journeys family.

The Hope Journeys program in Cambodia continues to grow bigger and brighter.  This summer, Habitat for Humanity Cambodia hosted two back-to-back Hope Journeys in June and July, bringing incredible experiences to participants, staff and home partners.  We had the privilege to host returning loyal supporters, as well as Habitat for Humanity International Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Reckford for a second time.

An international board member of Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) and Habitat Cambodia WatSan project donor Scott Sellers led the first group.  He was joined by his wife Keely and their children Ross, Kaitlyn and Alyssa as they returned to Cambodia for the third time.  They were joined for the first time by their two older daughters Danielle and Brianne as well as Mat and Valerie Smith and their two young sons Thatcher and Sumner, Deborah Emri and daughter Olivia, Dana Hamilton and daughter Tamar, and Lala Baldelovar of HFHI Asia Pacific.

The group spent their entire seven-day journey in Siem Reap.  Their trip began by learning about the history of Cambodia and over-all development needs of the country with a visit to a floating village on Tonle Sap Lake.  Their group’s build projects included renovating the traditional wooden Khmer-style house of Loy Khei and his wife Yu Chhun in Char Rokar Village, Angkor Chum District together with the homeowners and construction workers as well as building four toilets in nearby Kork Thnong Village for the families of Soeung Huor, To Nga, Yin Chantrea, and Phuot Chheng.

Lack of clean water and proper sanitation facilities are major problems faced by a majority of rural families.  In Siem Reap alone, fifty percent of families do not have access to clean water, and seventy percent do not have access to a proper toilet.  The Sellers family is funding a project in Siem Reap that helps more than 400 families and more than 700 schoolchildren in three villages to gain access to clean water and proper sanitation facilities.

The group was able to meet with members of local Sanitation Action Groups, Water User Groups, and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene groups active in local schools.  The participants were able to see first-hand how communities are mobilized around their commitment to bring about behavioral change, guided by the principles of Community-Led Total Sanitation approach, a community mobilization approach that Habitat Cambodia applies in its WatSan projects.

In just two days, the Hope Journeys program team comprising Habitat Cambodia staff and HFHI staff (Tamara Foglio and Liza Vega-Smart) was ready for the next Hope Journeys group led by Jonathan Reckford, who was here along with his daughter Lily, Richard Georgi, Steve Hennessey, Steven and Larissa Herda.  This group began their journey in Phnom Penh and concluded their experience in Siem Reap.

They first learned about the more recent history of the country by visiting Choeung Ek (The Killing Fields) and Toul Sleng (Genocide Museum).   The group learned about housing issues while visiting informal settlements in Phnom Penh, and the specific needs of families who are vulnerable because of HIV/AIDS, and had the opportunity to visit the current living space of their home partner Soy Long; she, her mother, 14-year-old son and twelve-year- old daughter were living near a dumpsite in a space made from scrap wood, with a worn-out tarpaulin for their roof.

The visit there set the entire journey into perspective, allowing them to understand the prevailing problems of the country more deeply.  One of the participants, Larissa Herda said, “This experience is very moving.  You will never really know the depth of the problem until you see it first hand, and view these harsh realities faced by families in their day-to-day lives.”

The group worked all week alongside Soy Long to build her family a new four-meter by six-meter brick house in Trapang Kror Per village, Kandal Province. They also met other Habitat Cambodia home partner families during a community visit.  It was then when Jonathan Reckford was able to see the families he built within the 2012 Hope Journeys, Meng Nat and her children and Theoun Visal and his siblings.  Reckford was very delighted to see them doing well in their homes and said, “They are so much healthier now.  Seeing the transformation in their lives makes me want to work for Habitat forever.”

During the Siem Reap portion of their journey, the group visited a water and sanitation project and spent time playing traditional games with children at one of the primary schools that Habitat Cambodia supports.

Every day it took each group at least one and a half hours to travel to their site just to be able to serve; it was extremely hot and humid in the day and rains poured in the afternoon, but they all happily stepped out of their comfort zones in order to serve others.  The dedications that each group experienced were full of joy.

Everyone felt that something extremely worthwhile had been accomplished and found it difficult to say goodbye to the home partners.  “It brings me so much joy seeing the happiness in a home partner’s face during dedication,” Scott Sellers said.

Indeed, the week allowed the Hope Journeys participants time to understand families’ living conditions; listen to their hopes, dreams, and simply share fun moments together.  “I have been coming here with my family for three years now, and my favorite part is being able to build relationships with the families we serve and with Habitat Cambodia.  I treat them all as my family here in Cambodia,” said Ross Sellers.

Hope Journeys are unique travel experiences designed by Habitat for Humanity, which provide an opportunity for participants to help transform communities.  In addition to working alongside home partner families, the participants connect with community people and different stakeholders to gain a solid understanding of the many challenges faced by those living in poverty.  They witness firsthand how Habitat for Humanity transforms lives, and become a part of the solution to poverty housing for the long-term.  Jonathan Reckford and Scot Sellers were in the same Hope Journeys in Cambodia in 2012.  The Hope Journeys participants bring not only generous funding for communities, but also warm smiles to families, and each participant gains a different sense of appreciation of the meaning of ‘giving HOPE’ and ‘family.’

The third and fourth Hope journeys in Cambodia were successfully completed, and promises to bring more support to many families in the next years.  Indeed, old friendships were celebrated, and new friendships and great memories were built in the ever-growing Hope Journeys family.