Virginia Loperena fundraising for Vietnam - '19 Carter Team
Virginia Loperena
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From Virginia Loperena
Home in Hoa Binh, Vietnam
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About Me
About me.
I am passionate about both the local and global mission of Habitat. I am a native Nuyorican and a current employee of Habitat NYC, where my role is to secure grant funding support for the organization. I believe that reading, volunteering, and traveling all offer opportunities to build empathy and knowledge. This will be my first Global Village trip and my first time traveling in Vietnam.
Ever since I was a kid, I've wanted to make a difference in the world. I studied philosophy in my undergrad at Harvard in part because I was drawn to questions of ethics and justice. Living an ethical life to me means more than just exercising compassion; it means exercising service. It means work. But this is the kind of work I love, work that makes me feel good, even when my muscles ache and my mind is exhausted.
About this trip.
I have been dreaming about doing a Habitat build abroad ever since I joined Habitat NYC in April 2018. This May, my partner Zigis was able to go on a Global Village trip to El Salvador with some Habitat NYC colleagues and supporters. His experience inspired me even more and I decided to pursue my own Global Village trip this fall.
I decided to join the November-December trip to Vietnam to gain a new perspective, as I've never visited the country before. I'm also excited to see the Habitat mission in action in a different context than what I'm used to here in New York City.
Please join me in my journey as I fundraise, build, and share the incredible, joyful work of serving families in need, both here in NYC, in Vietnam, and around the globe.
More Info
While poverty has fallen in Vietnam in recent years, many ethnic minorities and those living in rural areas remain poor. Urban poverty is also a challenge, as towns and cities swell with the influx of people drawn by economic opportunities.
Many homes in Vietnam were built informally and without adequate supporting infrastructure. About a quarter of the country’s housing stock is substandard or temporary.
Habitat for Humanity Vietnam, established in 2001, specializes in the implementation of sustainable, community-based shelter and water and sanitation solutions. It has experience in rehabilitating and repairing properties damaged by the severe weather that frequently strikes the country’s long coastline. Habitat also works with microfinance networks so families can save and access credit for home improvements, a speedy way to help thousands of families improve their sanitation and housing.
Global Village is Habitat for Humanity’s international volunteer program. Teams travel to over 40 countries to work alongside communities, build housing solutions, and experience local culture. Our goal is to change the lives of the people we serve, as well as the lives of the volunteers.
To join a team or learn more, visit www.habitat.org/gv.
About Habitat for Humanity International
Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort on a community farm in southern Georgia. The housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in more than 1,300 communities throughout the U.S. and in more than 70 countries. Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org.
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