CHIANG MAI : Former US president Jimmy Carter is helping the homeless in the Mekong Region in Thailand, Vietnam, China, Laos and Cambodia.
Former US president Jimmy Carter adds cinder blocks to a wall as he helps to build a home under the Habitat for Humanity project in Chiang Mai yesterday. Mr Carter is leading thousands of volunteers in building homes for the poor along the Mekong River. The volunteers for Habitat for Humanity will build or repair 166 homes in Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam from Nov 15 to 20. AFP
The Carter Work Project works with the international housing charity organisation Habitat for Humanity which launched a campaign yesterday to build 50,000 homes in the Mekong Region over the next five years.
Working in the sweltering heat yesterday, Mr Carter, his wife Rosalynn and about 3,000 volunteers from 25 countries started building homes for 82 Thai families in Ban Nong Kon Kru of San Sai district. Eighty-four more homes will be built in Vietnam, China, Cambodia and Laos. The 166 homes are expected to be built and completed this week.
Mr Carter said the 82 Thai homes are being built in honour of His Majesty the King who celebrates his 82nd birthday next month.
"Twenty-five years ago I had the chance to meet His Majesty the King and I have a lot of admiration for his leadership," Mr Carter said.
The new homeowners are needy Thai and hilltribe villagers. Many are Christians and Muslims but most are Buddhists.
"In an area of the world where many people live in deplorable conditions, we have a chance to help families improve their housing," Mr Carter said.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/27537/when-carter-is-not-mending-fences-he-building-houses