Tuesday, December 24, 2013

SECOND HOMEOWNERS' MEET - 2013

The second Homeowners' Meet of the Center was held at Carmel Monastery, Trivandrum on December 23, 2013. The 15 families who are in and around Trivandrum attended the meeting. The chair, vice chair, secretary, treasurer and Board member Sr Erasma represented the TFCH. The meeting was presided over by chairman Adv T H Lawrence. One of the homeowners said the prayer, another welcomed the gathering, four of them offered felicitations and the manager proposed vote of thanks. Small gifts were presented to each homeowner family. A high tea was hosted by the vice chair. All the Board members spoke on the occasion. The chairman expressed satisfaction at the 100% repayment being made by the homeowners and asked them to maintain it so as to sustain the ministry by recycling the repayments to the benefit of those homeless brethren. The vice chair appealed to them to find more pleasure in giving rather than receiving. The homeowners felt so proud of the service of the TFCH Board that they offered to render their sweat equity to those who were still poorer. Arrangements had also been made for the receipt of repayments to be remitted by the homeowners.

The spouses of the chair and the treasurer were also present as invitees. 

Some of the pictures taken on the occasion are inserted below.

A view of the gathering

Joy, the first homeowner felicitates

Varghese, the second homeowner, felicitates

The vice chair presents the gift to Varghese

The treasurer presents the gift to Susan

Sr Erasma presents the gift to Sheeba

The secretary presents the gift to Mrs Maniyan

The manager receives the repayments 

Friday, September 6, 2013

NEWS REPORT ON TFCH & GB TEAM

On September 01, 2013 a news reporter named Asupak of a very popular vernacular daily, the Malayala Manorama, visited the site of one of our homeowners (Wilson and family) and published an extensive write-up on the Trivandrum Fuller Center for Housing and the Global Builders Team led by Kat Williams. Since the article is in Malayalam, a translation is given under it.


2013 September 1 Sunday          Malayala Manorama
16 Houses in the District alone; 
6 under construction: 
An organization for the poor!

Interest-free loan to the land-owning homeless; Repayable in 5 years!
Vembayam. The Trivandrum Fuller Center for Housing, engaged in helping the poor to build their own homes, sets an example by demonstrating that serving humanity does not become complete only with financial help, but it should be supplemented by human labor as well.

The organization, which is a unity that helps the low-wage-earners who are struggling to find a shelter to lay their heads under, on return from their hard labour in the evening, is headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram and is working in collaboration with the Fuller Center for Housing, USA.

Houses have been built for 16 families in Trivandrum district alone, and for four families in other districts. Six houses are under construction now.

The organization provides interest-free loans for a house of 500-600 Sft, repayable in five years, to those who have their own land, but are unable to build a shelter for themselves since they  are below the poverty line. The Center renders manual labor as well, when possible.

As partner of an international organization, the Center welcomes volunteers from different countries who are willing to render free service. The arrival of a team from America to work on the house being built for the family of Wilson at Kuttiyani was an exciting experience for the local folk. Under Kat Williams' leadership, Lesylee Hodge, Caroline Reynolds, Norman Neece, Kelly Green, Angie Baker, Michelle Eiland, Brent Hamilton and Susan Wise arrived at Kuttiyani the other day. These team members, who worked with the family from 9 AM to 5 PM, filled up the foundation with earth, levelled the ground, fixed the doors etc. Earlier, they had also gone to work for another applicant in the roof concrete work. 

Team leader Kat Williams said that while helping to build a home for a family, we also establish personal bonds and mould a strong community, envisioning thereby an excellent society. The Trust, chaired by Advocate T H Lawrence, is composed of Father Mathew Thundathil, K Johnson, B Beddyson, Abraham P Mathew, N Vijayan and Sr Erasma who are leading the activities in India.

According to Chairman Adv T H Lawrence the Center has received many applications on the basis of information shared by the existing homeowners and such applications are considered for the assistance only after detailed verification, and loans are sanctioned to those below the poverty line for completing their unfinished houses as well as for building their new houses.

Footnote of the picture: The members of the American team and the Trivandrum Fuller Center for Housing are engaged in the construction work of a house at Kuttiyani

Monday, August 26, 2013

THIRD GLOBAL BUILDERS TEAM


THE US GLOBAL TEAM OF AUGUST 24 - 31, 2013

A nine-member Global Team from the US, led by young, dynamic Kat Williams, were on their onsite activities. The house they worked for belongs to Wilson, a mason, and his family. The team has labored hard for four full days by filling up the basement (with earth removed from the nearby lumps), leveling the ground, conveying the heavy cement blocks close to the structure, laying and joining the blocks,  fixing the doors and so on. The team seems to have enjoyed the work. 

FAREWELL FUNCTION
The banner displayed on farewell
The chair lights the traditional lamp
The dais and the guests
Kat, the leader, receiving the certificate & the compliment
The chair receiving a memento from Kat Williams
Michelle receiving the certificate & the compliment


Brent receiving the certificate & the compliment
Kat Williams, the leader evaluating the build
HOSTING THE HOSTS 
On the last day of their work, the team hosted the dinner with a sumptuous typical American cuisine which was relished by the personnel and families of the Center. This gesture of goodwill was a new and nice experience for the members of the Board, who heartily thank each one of the team for such an unprecedented hospitality.  

The dishes laid out for the hosts by the guests
The hosts at the typical American cuisine
PHOTOS FROM THE WORK-SITE
Work is progress

Construction continues
Construction going on
Earth being removed and ground leveled
Construction in progress
Work in full swing
Work continues
The team takes a  tea-break 
The work begins 

Thursday, April 18, 2013

THE KELAKAM GLOBAL BUILD

A dedicated and committed team led by Jim McCracken, USA arrived at Kelakam, the northern part of Kerala on April 3, 2013. They worked under the banner of Trivandrum Fuller Center for Housing. The team had two sites to work the beneficiary families. They excavated earth, carried building materials like cut bricks and boulders, and completed basement for one house and foundation for the other. The team mingled with the local community so much so that their names were familiar to the local folk. It was for the first time that the people around happened to watch foreign guests come and work for the Fuller Center homeowners.


Dave is carrying the cut brick
The homeowner with the TFCH Board chair and treasurer
The US team and Sasi with the homeowner and the TFCH Chairman
The TFCH chair with the team and the host
The TFCH chair, Sasi and the US team

Thursday, February 21, 2013

SECOND GLOBAL BUILD

Here are the ten dynamic members of the team, who have worked for three needy homeowners of the Trivandrum Fuller Center for Housing, India, for seven days now. As these ten partners take leave of the Center and the city, they also leave a good deal of memories for all of us to cherish. As always, we feel somewhat nostalgic when we think of missing them, for they have made their presence felt, especially among our homeowner families, during the last few days. 

  






Another team comprising members from America, Canada and Australia, led by Boots & Ramsay, on a tour of India have visited the homeowners of the TFCH and voluntarily participated in the construction work. The team desirous of doing hard manual job has helped three poor families by joining them in building homes.

Mark Heisey helps install a window

John Wherry mortaring the joints

Mark and John at masonry

Meredith and Jane with sand 

Mark with a 30-kg cement block in hand

The homeowner and his son with Mark and John

The team members in discussion

The team lunch with the chairman and treasurer

About Me

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Chairman of the Trivandrum Fuller Center for Housing. A recipient of international award for social service. A teacher and author of English grammar. A practising lawyer.