Atlanta-based Habitat for Humanity International organizes housing projects around the world, but in a new initiative, a group of foreign diplomats are working with their constituents and business partners to sponsor a house in the Georgia capital.

Members of the state consular corps, comprised of honorary consuls, consuls and consuls general representing some 60 nations, are raising money to begin building a Habitat house in the Atlanta area in November.

Jill Redman, senior sponsorship manager at local affiliate Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, told GlobalAtlanta that consuls general Ulrich Hunn of Switzerland, Brian Oak of Canada and Martin Rickerd of the United Kingdom presented the idea of a consul-sponsored house last summer.

Mr. Hunn said that in 2004, as consul general at the Swiss Embassy in London, he participated in a bicycle ride from the U.K. capital to Lausanne, Switzerland, to raise money for the Royal British Legion, a charity dedicated to supporting former members of the British military.

He wanted to repeat the experience of working with a local charity through the Atlanta consular corps.

“We foreigners and foreign consulates enjoy living here, so it’s nice to give back to Atlanta, and I think this is a good way to show our appreciation,” Mr. Hunn said.

Mr. Oak said the three presented the idea to a monthly meeting of the consular corps, which agreed to take on the project.

The consuls are raising money from the businesses and individuals they represent in the area, and the organizers made a deal with the Georgia Council for International Visitors, which hosts the annual Consular Ball, to put a portion of that event’s proceeds toward the project.

Ms. Redman said that the consuls are approximately $10,000 short of the $75,000 required before building begins, but that the funding is sufficient to set a general start date for November.

The three consuls most involved in organizing the project are to meet in two weeks to organize volunteer groups for the build.  Mr. Hunn said that all of the state’s foreign representatives have the opportunity to work on the building project, including consuls and their staffs, spouses and children over 16, Habitat’s age requirement for builders.

Mike Carscaddon, Habitat International’s executive vice president of international operations, said that the organization works with foreign companies and governments but direct involvement by diplomats is rare.

“I’m not aware of anywhere where we’ve had local (foreign) consulates or embassies involved,” he said, adding that U.S. Embassy staff in other countries have worked on houses there.

Mr. Carscaddon said that last year Habitat built 49,000 houses worldwide, 42,000 of them outside the U.S.  The organization works in approximately 90 countries through locally based independent affiliates, either building homes or fundraising.

“The notion or concept of Habitat was tested in Africa, what was then Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” he said. “Our founder came back from that test trial and started Habitat here.  It’s always had an intent to be global,” he said.

Millard and Linda Fuller founded Habitat in Americus in 1976 and the organization gained greater fame when former President Jimmy Carter became involved in 1984.

Mr. Oak said the director of Waterloo, Ontario-based Habitat for Humanity Canada visits the Atlanta consulate when he is in town meeting with Habitat International.

Habitat does not have a Switzerland-based affiliate, but Mr. Hunn said that the Atlanta project might generate interest in the organization in multiple countries involved.

“We hope to interest the media from our countries and to make Habitat for Humanity known in our countries.  It’s much less known than here in the States,” he said.

Habitat International is working with Swiss schools to generate donations and interest and plans to expand its youth programs there this year, according to the organization’s Web site.