Building more than homes: Habitat India’s volunteer programme sparks a movement of compassion.

To date, over 56,000 individuals including corporate leaders, professionals, students and youth have joined Habitat for Humanity India’s Volunteer Build programme, lending their hands and hearts to build homes alongside families in need. After a brief pandemic-induced pause, the programme resumed this year with fresh energy and renewed purpose.

A new chapter of volunteer engagement: 2025

Pretium Enterprise Services (PES) India collaborated with Habitat India in the first volunteer build of 2025 in Hakki Pikki Colony, Bengaluru. 22 employees of Pretium worked shoulder to shoulder with tribal families, painting, carrying concrete blocks and helping them build sanitation units. The momentum continued with 16 employees from Houlihan Lokey, a global investment bank, following suit in Palghar, Maharashtra, reaffirming that giving back is as vital as growing forward.

LEGACY BUILD 3.0

In March, Habitat India hosted a special Legacy Build in Bengaluru, bringing together 15 volunteers which included business leaders and international students from Japan. Led by Anthony Miller, long-time Habitat volunteer and member of the Asia-Pacific Development Council, Habitat for Humanity International and Cecilia Melin, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity Japan, the build was a five-day immersion in compassion and cultural exchange that helped 3 families from the Hakki Pikki tribal community build a home of their own.

Anthony Miller and Cecilia Melin at the Build site in
Hakki-Pikki colony, Anekal, Bengaluru, Karnataka.

“My family is looking forward to our new home. But the most excited is my granddaughter, who is expecting a baby. She will raise her child in a safe and secure home,” said Parani, one of the future homeowners.

For Mr. Miller, it was his 17th global build with Habitat for Humanity. “Each build is a powerful reminder of the impact a home can have on a family. Housing transforms lives. This experience becomes even more meaningful when shared with my daughter and fellow volunteers,” Mr. Miller shared.

Samsung village #13: a model of long-term engagement

In February and April 2025, Habitat India welcomed a total of 47 volunteers from Samsung C&T Korea and Samsung C & T India to Saware village, Palghar as part of the Samsung Village #13 Project. In this project Habitat India is building 15 homes for the Warli tribal community and improving sanitation units in three government schools.

Through hands-on participation, the volunteers gained a deeper understanding of the housing need and the impact of decent shelter on education, health and dignity. The build also included WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) awareness sessions for children and families to encourage long-term behavioural change.

“Through our Volunteer Builds, we don’t just build houses. We build a shared vision of a better, more inclusive future. Thank you to all the volunteers who inspire action and drive sustainable change,” said Anand Kumar Bolimera, National Director, Habitat for Humanity India.

"It was truly an amazing experience. We are from the construction industry, but today we experienced what it actually feels like to get our hands dirty and move that brick. It feels good to know we are contributing to building someone’s dream home and I gave my best today." - Meenal, Samsung C & T India.

"It felt so good to see everyone coming together to build our home. They carried bricks and helped build its walls alongside us. We truly enjoyed working with these volunteers from Samsung C&T." – Gurunath, Saware, Palghar, Habitat homeowner.  

Why Volunteer?

A day on a Habitat build site is a transformative experience. Volunteers work with communities and form bonds that go beyond cultural or geographic boundaries.

Every hand that lifts a brick helps raise a wall of dignity. Every hour spent in service helps rewrite the future of a family.

Join Us

Whether you are a corporation looking to strengthen your CSR and employee engagement, a school eager to instil social responsibility or a young individual wanting to make a difference, Habitat India’s Volunteer Build Programme welcomes you.

Together, we can build more than homes.

We can build communities.

We can build hope.