There is an organization called HEFY that gives young people an opportunity to build homes in poor countries. They have two locations in Tonga where they can come. One is here on Tongatapu and the other is on the northern island of Vava'u. I think the organization is run by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, but the program is not operated or sponsored by the church.
It is rather expensive, over $3,000 to come to Tonga for 2 weeks. Once paid, the organization pays for airfare from L.A. and bus transportation around the island. They provide a place for them to stay and all their food. They take them to see some tourist spots. They have 2 weeks to build the home from start to finish. They bring 10 groups (19 youth and 2 adults) during the US summers. They build 10 houses each year. The HEFY organization finds someone in need and makes the arrangements to build a small home on the family property. They are supported financially by donations (not sure how that works).
We met the group at an art shop and started asking questions. We found the house they were working on when it was almost complete. We stopped twice, both times it was lunch time, so most of the kids were off eating lunch at a chapel down the road.
One young woman told us that on the first day they took them to the lot and told them to start digging; they were preparing the ground where the house would go. There really isn't much room between this house and the others on the lot. It's a family lot so there are several families living there. The family moving in are living in a small shack behind the new house. They have 8 children. The new house is still small for ten, but larger than what they have been living in. There is no electricity or water in the new house. They will need to add that when they can afford it.
I am sure it's a great experience for these young people, giving them an opportunity to serve people who are really in need of their help.
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These are the parents/grandparents of the family that will be moving into the new home. The parents home is about 5 feet from the wall of the new house. They don't speak English, but seemed very happy with the construction.
Just starting to paint the exterior. Work on the tin roof is almost complete.
The inside.
There are two doors in the house directly opposite each other
to allow the air to flow through.
The HEFY organization has a few other people helping with the construction. This group is spreading crushed coral around the outside of the house so that when it rains it is not muddy right up next to the house.
The family who is having the home built for them were selling coconuts in front of the house. The ones with the green branch and leaf on them have what they call a brain in them. This is a soft ball of coconut in the center. There is not much coconut milk inside, but it does have a yummy thick layer of coconut meat around the inside of the shell. The HEFY organization had young coconuts at the building site and offered each of us one. It was full of coconut milk. It was very mild, cold and refreshing. The coconut meat inside is very thin and jelly-like. We really don't care for that part. I did scrap it out and froze it to try it in a smoothy.
Artwork on the last day.
