Water for Lives Program

DAY 1 | Saturday: Arrivals in Recife

Your journey begins today as you arrive at Recife’s Guararapes International Airport (REC). A Habitat for Humanity representative will meet you at the airport (look for the Habitat t-shirt)After settling in, enjoy dinner at the hotel and prepare for the official activities starting tomorrow.

DAY 2 | Sunday: Team Arrival and Travel to Caruaru

After lunch at a local buffet restaurant, embark on a 2-hour drive to Caruaru, the city where your group will be based. Upon arrival, attend an orientation session led by Habitat staff to learn about the local context, Habitat’s Water for Lives program, and safety guidelines. End the day with a welcome dinner at a nearby restaurant.

DAY 3 | Monday: Meet the Families and Begin Construction

Start the day with breakfast before traveling an hour to the project site. Meet the families and local masons, and receive a safety briefing. Begin construction tasks such as cement preparation, assembling plates, and plastering. Lunch will be shared at a local family’s house. After wrapping up for the day, return to the hotel for free time and dinner at a local restaurant.

DAY 4 | Tuesday: Full Day of Construction

Another rewarding day begins with breakfast at the hotel. Spend the day at the build site contributing to cistern construction with guidance from the Habitat construction team. Enjoy a lunch break with a local family before completing the afternoon’s tasks. Return to the hotel for reflection and dinner.

DAY 5 | Wednesday: Construction and Social Learning Experience

Continue building at the project site in the morning. After lunch, travel to a nearby village to participate in a Social Learning Experience, exploring the region’s cultural heritage through traditional art forms passed down through generations. Return to the hotel for free time, dinner, and an advocacy session introducing Habitat’s Home Equals campaign.

DAY 6 | Thursday: Final Construction Day

Dedicate your efforts to completing the cisterns, focusing on tasks like painting and final assembly. After a shared lunch with a local family, finish the last construction steps to ensure the cisterns are fully operational. Return to the hotel for relaxation and a group dinner.

DAY 7 | Friday: Closing Ceremony and Farewell Celebration

On your last day at the build site, finalize and clean the tools before a heartfelt closing ceremony. Families will officially receive their cisterns, celebrating the transformative impact of your work. Participate in speeches, cultural performances, and farewells. In the evening, enjoy a special farewell dinner with your team, reflecting on the week’s achievements.

DAY 8 | Saturday: Departure

After breakfast, check out and travel back to Recife International Airport (REC). Plan flights for 11:00 AM or later. For earlier departures, alternative arrangements can be made upon request. Though the trip ends, the memories and impact will inspire your commitment to Habitat’s mission.

Typical Housing Solutions

In Caruaru, Brazil, volunteers will support the Water for Lives project, which focuses on constructing 16,000-liter cisterns to provide families with access to safe, drinkable water. These cisterns are a sustainable, local technology that addresses water scarcity in the semi-arid region of Pernambuco. The project transforms the lives of families by eliminating the need for long, arduous trips to collect water and reducing the prevalence of waterborne diseases.

Each cistern is built from scratch, starting with a simple hole in the ground and culminating in a fully functional water storage system by the end of the week. Alongside construction, families also receive training in water conservation and management to ensure long-term sustainability.

Typical Volunteer Tasks

As a volunteer, you will contribute to every stage of cistern construction, including:

• Preparing cement for the cistern structure.
• Constructing and assembling cement panels for the cistern walls.
• Plastering and painting the cistern for durability and weather proofing.
• Installing water pumps to make the cisterns operational.
• Digging and leveling the ground for the cistern base.

By participating in these hands-on tasks, you’ll work alongside local families and laborers, helping to create a lasting impact in their lives. The experience offers a unique opportunity to see a tangible transformation from start to finish, as you help deliver a critical resource that families can rely on for decades to come.

Through peer-to-peer fundraising, Global Village volunteers contribute a program and build donation that will advance Habitat’s work in communities with the greatest housing needs. Build donations cover volunteer accommodations, meals and ground transportation. Crucially, the program donations also directly support Habitat’s housing programs in the countries.

Once you register for a this Global Village build, you commit to fundraising:

$3400 minimum fundraising target

What's Included

• Double Occupancy Accommodation
• All meals for the week
  
• Daily transportation to and from site
• Airport pick-up and drop-off
• Snacks and water
• All necessary building materials and safety equipment
• 24-hour support
• Insurance whilst on the build site

*What's Not Included

• Flights to and from REC Airport
• Travel Insurance
• Visa
• Vaccinations

Meet Fiona!

I’m Fiona Coughlin, and I’m really excited to be heading to Brazil with all of you for this incredible experience. I’ve spent years raising funds to support group homes, food banks, and other social services across Ontario. However, my first role in housing involved training staff in group homes for people with developmental disabilities, which instilled in me a deep passion for creating supportive and sustainable housing solutions.

Since 2017, I’ve been the CEO of Habitat for Humanity Windsor-Essex, where my team and I have built homes across the region, opened one of the most successful Habitat ReStores in Canada, and even led the construction of the country’s first 3D-printed homes. Recently, we launched a "repair revolution" program to expand our impact even further. I’ve also had the privilege of volunteering on a build in Kenya and Nepal, which was an incredibly eye-opening experience and a reminder of the universal need for decent housing. I’m looking forward to rolling up my sleeves alongside all of you in Brazil!

On a personal note, I’m not married but in a very happy partnership, and I’m also a proud mom to a son who’s followed me into the nonprofit world. Our family includes two adorable rescue dogs, Rosalind and Carter, who keep us on our toes. I’m known for being a bit of a goofball around the office, but I’ve managed to rack up a few accolades, including being named "Professional of the Year" by the Windsor Essex Chamber of Commerce in 2022.

I’m thrilled to meet all of you and can’t wait to work together on what promises to be an impactful and rewarding build. Let’s make this an experience we’ll never forget!

Global Village Frequently Asked Questions