Unique opportunity for UAE students; Sign up to build homes in Brazil

In a unique bid at creating awareness about global issues surrounding housing and in building a sense of solidarity and responsibility among the youth, an NGO registered in Mumbai has invited six UAE students to sign up for a ‘build a home’ project in Brazil.

Hosted by Monyati Initiatives, the 10-day programme, which will be held in July, is open to student volunteers (aged 18 and above) from the UAE.

Talking to Emirates247, Monja Wolf, Founder of Monyati Initiatives, emphasized how remarkable this opportunity was for the UAE student community.

“It is a very beautiful concept where volunteers can contribute physically to the project. Often, they are given only an observatory role but this opportunity gives them a hands-on experience,” she explained.

“It’s very inspiring. And, this initiative allows us to join a larger volunteering organization who have mobilized 600 youth in Brazil to step forward and be part of this.”

Wolf was highlighting about how the UAE student group will be part of the larger initiative by Un Techo, which will build 100 houses with the help of 600 local Brazilian students.

“Apart from the cultural exchange, this experience will inspire students to come back and start their own volunteering initatives in their community.”

Their website (https://www.monyati.com/) highlights how Monyati Initiatives “aims to improve the housing conditions of these families (living in Favelas) by constructing more stable and solid wooden houses for them”.

The volunteers will help build six homes in Sao Paulo.

The housing will be funded by Delos Living, a wellness real-estate company from New York.

According to their research, “One house can be built in two full working days and costs approximately $1,750 USD. Eight to ten volunteers can build one house, which is constructed together with the recipient families.”

Interested candidates can email their application (from https://www.monyati.com/). The deadline is May 15.

Flight tickets from Abu Dhabi to Sao Paulo will be sponsored by Etihad Airways, while the volunteers will have to fund their 4-night hotel accommodation, local transport and food.

Their official website hints at what the experience could be like.

“This will be a very real and raw experience; volunteers typically sleep on the floor alongside male and female volunteers and work long hours. Only basic facilities such as toilets and sinks are available.

“Sometimes we wake up at 6am and work well into the night to complete the houses on time.  We eat together with the local families and get to know them well. 

“Despite this schedule this is a truly beautiful experience and a profound once-in-a-lifetime experience,” it reads.

This isn’t the first time that Monyati Initiatives have undertaken similar charitable causes. Earlier they had sent 12 volunteers from UAE to India to participate in the ‘Classroom Project’ in Uttar Pradesh.

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