At the end of May and beginning of June 2017, 9 volunteers from Habitat for Humanity Canada came to Poland through the Global Village program. They contributed to our renovation project in Pszczyna where we are extending a hostel for people who are at risk of homelessness and people who recover from addictions. The hostel is part of Mother Eva’s Blue Cross House in Pszczyna and is run by the Silesian Blue Cross Foundation.
More information about the project can be found in the project description: Extension of a hostel serving people at risk of homelessness in Pszczyna.
ABOUT WORK
The volunteers renovated 4 rooms: did demolition, plastering and painting in two bedrooms and a conference room, hung wallpaper in the corridor. They also removed old plaster from the exterior walls because it had been damaged by damp.
ABOUT EXTRA ACTIVITIES
In their free time, the Canadian volunteers visited the Old Town and the Schindler Factory in Cracow, the Auschwitz Museum in Oświęcim and the Salt Mine in Wieliczka. They also had a lot of contact with the Polish nature: they climbed to the top of Czantoria (the tallest mountain of the Silesian Beskidy mountains) and they saw European bisons (żubry) at the Bison Farm in Pszczyna.
The volunteers also got a chance to learn more about both Habitat Poland and the Silesian Blue Cross Foundation. They met with our employees as well as the employees and residents of Mother Eva’s Blue Cross House. One of the House residents taught them how to make a Polish traditional dish, pierogis. At the end of the project we all gathered around a fire and enjoyed a farewell barbecue.
TESTIMONIAL
One of the Canadian volunteers, Bob, comments on his Global Village experience as follows:
Our Canadian team made needed repairs to the Silesian Blue Cross Foundation building in Pszczyna, Poland. The building offers transition housing for people at risk of homelessness and for those fleeing domestic violence. Residential and out-patient addiction programs are also provided. The Silesian Blue Cross survives solely on fees for service and donations. It gets no government funding.
We came to “pay it forward”, grateful to help house others. But despite our hard work, we kept getting back more than we gave. We constantly received hugs, smiles, words of thanks and food in such abundance we knew our efforts were genuinely appreciated.
We gained satisfaction and the knowledge of a job well done. An agency that helps people struggling with addiction, abuse and trauma is on track to more than double its capacity to serve.
An unexpected gift was gaining new knowledge and admiration for our host country. I was moved as Poles described the adversities through which Poland has endured, survived and thrived.
My Global Village experience was rewarding, meaningful, enjoyable and enlightening. I have no hesitation recommending it to you.
