What is Global Village?

Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) created the Global Village program in 1989 to mobilize volunteers internationally. Global Village coordinates short-term service trips with opportunities to build alongside homeowner families in locations globally to build strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter all over the world. Participants raise money to fund their trip and to contribute to the local community they are visiting.

As a Global Village volunteer, you may work on house construction or renovations. Trip itineraries are balanced with plenty of work, rest, and free time. Most trips are seven days with five days of construction and two days devoted to orientation and cultural experiences. Every Global Village trip is different, but you can expect to gain a unique set of experiences and memories. Volunteers form once-in-a-lifetime friendships as they travel, live, work, and break bread together.

You can join an HFHI Global Village trip, or one planned by your local Habitat affiliate here in San Diego.

  • Due to COVID-19 and travel restrictions, the Global Village program is currently suspended. Provide us with your contact information, and we’ll notify you when trips resume.

“I had the pleasure of participating in the last Global Village trip to Chiapas, and it was life-changing. It’s really hard work — we moved and built with 1,000 concrete bricks — but it was well worth the sore muscles as we watched the lives of an amazing family change forever right in front of our eyes.”

Lori Holt Pfeiler

SAN DIEGO HABITAT
PRESIDENT/CEO

Why Global Village?

Through Global Village, your support of San Diego Habitat for Humanity reaches far beyond our community. Habitat partners with people down the street and around the world to provide access to safe, stable, healthy homes. Global Village provides opportunities to experience Habitat’s work in the field, and to provide volunteers and financial capital to support the mission of Habitat for Humanity globally. Volunteers become culturally immersed in a new way of life, learn more about ways to create local impact once returning home, gain a better understanding of the impact tithe has on Habitat national organizations, and gain a renewed passion for the cause of affordable housing.

Can we count you in next time?

While the Global Village program is currently suspended due to COVID-19 and travel restrictions, please join our interest list to be notified when trips resume.

Event Recap

September 2019 • Chiapas, Mexico

Eleven volunteers, made up of members of the San Diego community and San Diego Habitat for Humanity staff, and who raised money to fund their trip, traveled to the Chiapas region of Mexico, located at the most southeastern tip of the country, bordered by Guatemala. They spent one week building a home in partnership with a local family, literally brick by brick.

 

About Habitat for Humanity Mexico

Despite the progress that has been made in providing housing in recent years, more than 53 million people in Mexico do not have the financial means to buy or build adequate housing — that’s 45 percent of the population. Over the course of 29 years, Habitat Mexico has helped provide over 61,000 housing solutions for local families, working in over 1,250 communities and 22 states across the country.