Build Homes Abroad with Habitat’s Global Village Build Trip to El Salvador

Discover the power of collaboration and compassion as we venture into the heart of El Salvador, where a single week of building can mean lifetimes of change for local families and communities.

For over two decades and spanning over 3,000 miles, Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley has forged a strong a partnership with Habitat para la Humanidad El Salvador. Although we may build homes differently – here with wooden 2x4s while there with strong concrete – we share a common vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live. 

El Salvador, the tiniest and most densely populated nation in Central America, faces a significant housing challenge. Approximately 80% of Salvadorans reside in substandard housing conditions, and 30% of families grapple with extreme poverty. Habitat para la Humanidad El Salvador collaborates with families to enhance their access to secure homes, as well as improved sanitation and clean drinking water. Throughout this partnership, more than 115 dedicated volunteers from the Bay Area have traveled to El Salvador to make a direct impact and build affordable homes abroad – including an innovative “bioclimatic” house designed for both cost-effectiveness and eco-friendliness. These efforts make an immeasurable difference in an area where numerous families are acutely vulnerable in the face of insufficient housing and the harsh consequences of global warming.

It’s why we’re so excited, for the first time since 2019, to bring back our Global Village trips abroad with an upcoming build in Morazán!

From April 20 to April 27, 2024, a small group of volunteers from the Bay Area will support Habitat para la Humanidad’s efforts to alleviate the housing deficit rate, which currently stands at 56% in the area. Over the course of a week, volunteers will completely transform vacant land into the outline of a family’s future home. Participants will engage in a variety of building-related activities, such as mixing concrete and mortar for floors and blocks, compacting flooring and dirt, transporting roof sheets, laying bricks, moving materials, and cleaning and painting walls. Want a sense of what you’re in for? Click here to take a look at some trip photos from years past!

To volunteer abroad with Habitat, volunteers must email Lisa Amor, Habitat staff member and your trip leader, to let her know you’re interested! Click here to email Lisa. 

Then, volunteers are encouraged to fundraise toward their trip. The trip's fundraising goal is about $2,060 (not including flights). This includes your in-country expenses, accommodations, and a contribution to the local Habitat affiliate. Sound daunting? Don’t worry, Habitat’s team is here to support you with tools and resources to make fundraising a snap. After booking your flights and reaching your fundraising goal, it is time to travel!

Upon arrival at Monseñor Óscar Arnulfo Romero Airport (SAL), teams will be warmly welcomed by Habitat staff and transported to the hotel in San Miguel. Weekdays will be dedicated to construction work, while volunteers will also have the opportunity to partake in cultural activities, learn about the region and its inhabitants, savor typical El Salvadoran cuisine, and establish meaningful connections with fellow participants.  To learn more about the community that will host us, click here.

If you are interested in traveling to El Salvador next April to change lives – including your own – get in touch with trip leader Lisa Amor at LAmor@HabitatEBSV.org or (408) 273-7196 to get started.

From the beautiful communities in Morazán to the heartwarming stories of local families, experience transformative moments, shared purpose, and boundless hope in a country of rich culture and vibrant resilience.

 To get an inside scoop of what it's like to volunteer at El Salvador, click here to dive into the experience of one Global Village volunteer, Patti.