Whanganui woman on a mission to build homes in Cambodia

On a mission: Alison Hollard is off to Cambodia with Habitat for Humanity.

Whanganui's Alison Hollard is gearing up for a humanitarian mission to Cambodia where she'll be part of a team building 20 houses in a week.

Mrs Hollard will be one of about 400 volunteers from around the world working on Habitat for Humanity's 'Big Build' project in Battambang City for nine days in November. The volunteers are from all walks of life with no specialist building skills.

"I have had a 'calling' to help out with humanitarian work for some time now and this opportunity has presented itself and I'm going for it," Mrs Hollard said.

"This build with Habitat is to make the world a better place."

Many residents in Battambang City, in northwest Cambodia, live in informal settlements and face an uncertain future without legal title to the land. They are at constant threat of forced eviction.

The 'Big Build' project provides safe, sturdy housing to dozens of families on secure land.

Wellington's Dean Eager will head a team of 25 New Zealanders on November's trip. It will be Mr Eager's fifth trip to Cambodia for Habitat for Humanity but his first as leader of the New Zealand team.

He says the homes are the first step toward breaking the cycle of poverty and making people more self-sufficient, with a better, sustainable quality of life.

"They are very simple block homes with no rooms and each hut requires about 12 people to build it," Mr Eager said.

"As much as people moan and grizzle about things here, it is nothing compared to what is happening there. In Battambang, there is extreme poverty with people living on the streets with nothing at all."

Typical tasks for the team, who work with local families and skilled workers, include digging foundations, framing walls, mixing cement, painting, carrying construction materials and other tasks assigned by the expert construction crew.

After the homes are built, other teams come in to build items such as vegetable gardens and fishponds. These then provide families with goods to sell at markets.

Mrs Hollard is now fundraising for the trip.

"I need to find sponsors to help get me there. The total cost is $5000 and I have raised half of this already. This trip cost includes a significant donation to Habitat for Humanity, which covers building costs and materials."

She has set up a Givealittle page at https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/cambodiabigbuildalihollard or donations can be made at ASB bank: 12-3163-0099790-04 Cambodia Big Build.