Indian Superstar John Abraham helps Habitat for Humanity Build Homes in India During The 23rd Annual 'Jimmy Carter Work Project'

Lonavala, Maharashtra, India , 2006-11-02

Indian superstar and youth icon John Abraham today joined thousands of volunteers in helping build simple, decent homes on the fourth day of Habitat for Humanity's annual Jimmy Carter Work Project. The 2006 project will see 100 homes built in a village near Lonavala, Oct. 30 – Nov. 3, 2006 .

Abraham joined a team of volunteers from the UK and Canada working on the gabled roof of one of the houses. Also on the team was Manda Gyaneshwar Jadhav, the Habitat home partner whose house this will be.

"I am proud to be part of Habitat for Humanity's great cause to bring people of all walks of life together to deliver something tangible to a woman like Manda and her family," said Abraham. "There can be few things more moving than to work alongside those who are helping themselves to provide a better life for their families."

More than 2,000 volunteers from North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and from across India are taking part in building homes in partnership with low-income families from the Lonavala area.

"We are delighted that John is supporting at this year's JCWP," said Steve Weir, senior vice president of Habitat's Asia-Pacific area office. "John's involvement adds momentum to our campaign to ensure decent shelter for the hundreds of millions of men, women and children in India who have no real place to call their own home."

Abraham is already supporting Habitat for Humanity's work in India . Through a public awareness and volunteer program titled John's Brigade, the film star and youth icon is encouraging Indian residents and non-resident Indians around the world to support Habitat for Humanity's "indiaBUILDS " campaign.

This year's JCWP is associated with the " indiaBUILDS" program. The five-year campaign plans to engage 1 million volunteers in helping to provide shelter in partnership with 250,000 people. The campaign also seeks to raise funds for a sustainable revolving fund worth US$50 million.

The Carters are Habitat's most famous volunteers. Each year since 1984, the Carters have given one week of their time to build homes and raise awareness about the need for simple, decent and affordable housing. Previous JCWP events have been held in the United States (in New York City, Georgia and Michigan ), the Philippines , Hungary, South Korea and South Africa . Habitat's JCWP 2007 will be in Los Angeles , California in USA.

For more information about Habitat for Humanity's Jimmy Carter Work Project, visit www.habitat.org/jcwp/2006/.

Major partners include Citigroup, Dow India, Vedanta Resources, Posco India, Whirlpool Corporation, Cisco, HDFC Ltd., Aditya Birla Group and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

About Habitat for Humanity International

Habitat for Humanity International is a global non-governmental organization that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in the United States in 1976, Habitat has built more than 200,000 houses in nearly 100 countries, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1 million people. For more information, visit www.habitat.org/ap

To view the photographs please click on the following links given velow:

http://www.businesswireindia.com/attachments/Pic_1(15).jpg

http://www.businesswireindia.com/attachments/Pic_2(12).jpg

Contact

Duane Bates - Internationally Outside Asia Pacific, Habitat for Humanity India, +91 932 672 7719
[email protected]