TFCH CHAIRMAN VISITS FCFH IN THE US

Chairman Adv T H Lawrence of the Trivandrum Fuller Center for Housing (TFCH), India completed an eventful visit to the Fuller Center for Housing (FCFH), USA from June 17 to 19, 2015. He took time to make it during his stay in San Francisco with his son and family. President David Snell received him at the Atlanta airport and accommodated him in Quality Inn, a good hotel in Americus. The chairman met with all the staff of the FCH and held talks with President David, Director Ryan and Co-founder Linda (who also found time to lunch with him). Ryan took him round places of organizational and historical significance such as the FCFH Office, Koinonia Farm (where Millard Fuller had founded Habitat for Humanity with Clarence Jordan and built the first partnership house), Clarence's Shack (where Clarence used to rest and reflect), Koinonia Community Center (where resident volunteers are trained), Global Village & Discovery Center (where models of Habitat houses built in various countries in the Latin American/Caribbean, African/Middle East and Asia/Pacific regions are erected), Plains, (which is home of President Jimmy Carter), Jimmy Carter National Historic Site (Museum and Visitor Center) and Habitat for Humanity Headquarters open premises. Meanwhile, Lawrence also had the privilege of dining with the Davids and the Ryans. On completion of the tour the TFCH chairman was seen off at the Atlanta airport by Global Builders Coordinator Allen Slabaugh. 

In front of the doorway to the FCFH HQ

With President David Snell in his office

With David and some of his team

With Director Ryan

With Ryan and Jison at the coffee house

Lunch with Linda, David and Ryan

In front of the first Habitat for Humanity house

Ryan with the second Habitat for Humanity homeowner

At the Koinonia Farm

Where Clarence Jordan used to rest and reflect

Lunch at Koinonia Farm

Dinner with the Davids and the Ryans

In front of the Habitat for Humanity HQ

With David, Linda and Ryan at the FCFH HQ

With Allen before return to San Francisco via Atlanta

The hotel where accommodation was provided

 Flanked by Quality Inn Receptionist and its Owner 

The Singaporean Global Build Team leaves for home

The Singaporean team left for home after a very successful Global Build with the TFCH from 13 to 21 December 2014. They were seen off at the airport by the chairman, the treasurer and the manager a couple of hours ago today December 21, 2014. They are believed to be carrying cherishable memories of their intimate association with all that they came into contact with during the short stay. 

Earlier in the afternoon the team and the Center had a farewell get-together with Prof Natalie of Mercer University as special invitee following the traditional Kerala lunch. Certificates of Participation with mementos were presented to the team members. The team leader was swaddled by the vice chairman as a mark of respect to him. 

We feel nostalgic of their absence as they have made their presence felt from arrival to departure. 

THE EIGHT-MEMBER SINGAPOREAN GB TEAM

The hosts and the guests at the Kerala lunch 

The leader with the swaddled shawl

A memento to the team 

The Certificate of Participation

The Team with the Board before departure at the airport

The team at the TFCH office

The team at hard work

The team members enjoy the tender coconut drink

David Lee with a wheel barrow full of metal for the RCC

DEDICATION OF ANOTHER HOUSE

The TFCH dedicated another Fuller Home at 4.30 pm today. The ceremony was attended, among others, by the eight-member Singaporean GB team led by Raymond Chew. The visiting guests (all in yellow T-Shirts), the  homeowner family and the TFCH Board members posed for a photograph (right in front of the newly built house) after the dedication. 

FOURTH GLOBAL BUILDERS FROM SINGAPORE

An eight-member Global Builders' team from Singapore led by Raymond Chew arrived in Trivandrum at 10 last night. The team was received at the airport by the chairman, treasurer and manager of the Trivandrum Fuller Center for Housing. The members of the team looked very dynamic and cheerful. They were picked up and dropped at the Pushpakam homestay where their accommodation had been booked. The team was accorded a cordial welcome by the hosts. The chairman left after they had dinner at the homestay. Raymond said he was happy about the arrangements made by the TFCH. Two pictures taken on their arrival are inserted below.

The TFCH and the Team at the airport

The team at the Pushpakam Homestay

On December 18 the team visited the TFCH office and became curious to know the functioning of the Center. They were taken through the whole procedure from Education to Selection of homeowners and from construction to dedication of the houses. Some of them raised pertinent questions on various aspects and got them fully clarified. The team appreciated the transparency being displayed by the TFCH all along. How the administrative cost is kept at the minimum was also explained to them. The team visited the Lawrences at their residence. 

The whole team in the TFCH office

The team with the chairman and his wife

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 

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.