About Us
Communities Lead. We Partner. Together we build.
Who We Are
Built on partnership, guided by community.
Building Humanity partners with communities that have identified a need and a vision for what comes next. We connect volunteer professionals, local leaders, and global partners to deliver sustainable projects that reflect local priorities and support long-term community goals.
Our vision is a world where communities have the resources, partnerships, and opportunities to build the future they envision for themselves.
The Six Pillars
A foundation for individuals, families and communities
Building Humanity supports community-identified building needs that fall within six pillars, the foundations that make lasting change possible.
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Shelter & Housing
We envision communities where every person has access to safe, secure and affordable shelter. Our projects strengthen dignity, stability and long-term resilience through improved housing infrastructure.
460 people supported through housing
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Nutrition & Healthcare
We envision a world where all people have reliable nutrition, food security and access to affordable, unbiased healthcare. We support community-driven solutions that improve health outcomes and reduce systemic barriers.
3,258 people reached with health and clean water
A further 250 are projected once the Kenya composting toilets are in daily use.
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Families & Children
We envision that every child grows up in a family that loves and supports them unconditionally. Our work uplifts families through environments and programs that promote safety, belonging and opportunity.
51 families strengthened
The Louisiana resiliency center will reach a further 1,098 tribal members once it is built.
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Girls & Women
We envision communities where girls and women have equal rights, equal opportunities and the support needed to thrive. We undertake projects that expand access, safety, education and economic empowerment for women and girls.
55 girls and women reached each year
Forty-five girls a year through the Sacred Valley Project and ten women employed at the Felix Family Bakery. Still under-reported: participant counts from Pollinate Energy are yet to come.
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Education
We envision universal access to quality education. We partner with communities to create learning environments and resources that strengthen knowledge, creativity and lifelong opportunity.
935 students reached every year
A further 1,400 people are projected through the Kenya composting and sanitation training program.
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Economic Growth & Stability
We envision communities where every person has the skills, tools and support needed to build a secure and stable livelihood. Our projects promote entrepreneurship, workforce development and long-term economic resilience.
500 farmers supported through sustainable agriculture
Alongside $74,000+ of design and technical services donated, and women-led enterprises supported across several countries.
Our Story
The Challenge That Sparked a Movement
Building Humanity began with a single question: How do you keep helping after everyone else goes home?
In 2008, founder Erin Colshan was participating in an archaeological excavation in Porolissum-Moigrad, Romania. Each summer, the project welcomed international students, volunteers, and resources that supported the local community. Yet when autumn arrived, that support disappeared, leaving many needs unmet.
During her time there, Alexandru Matei, the local museum director, lead archaeologist, and later a trusted friend and mentor, challenged Erin to find a way to create lasting impact beyond the summer field season. Inspired by that challenge, Erin returned home and, together with her mother, Stephanie Colshan, began the process of establishing a nonprofit organization. In 2009, Building Humanity was founded.
As a trained architect, Erin recognized that access to design expertise is often out of reach for underserved communities. At the same time, she saw a strong willingness among architects, engineers, and other professionals to contribute their skills in meaningful ways. Building Humanity was created to connect those two realities.
Today, requests for assistance come from communities around the world, including Romania, India, Thailand, Ghana, Peru, Tanzania, the United States, Kenya, and Madagascar. While the organization's reach has expanded, its core model remains unchanged: professionals donate their expertise, volunteers contribute their time and labor, and communities lead the vision for what is built.
Together, we create practical, community-driven projects that improve quality of life, strengthen local capacity, and deliver lasting impact.
- 2008 Founder Erin Colshan participates in an archaeological excavation in Porolissum-Moigrad, Romania, inspiring the vision that would become Building Humanity.
- 2009 Building Humanity receives 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.
- 2010 The organization awards its first financial grant to support a local family in need.
- 2012 A connection with a local orphanage helps shape a broader vision for community-driven impact.
- 2014 A return visit to Romania confirms the potential for international volunteer build programs.
- 2016 Building Humanity completes its first volunteer build trip in Romania.
- 2017 Communities around the world begin reaching out for partnership and assistance.
- 2018 The organization expands its reach with a second international build trip in Thailand.
- 2019 Building Humanity completes its third international build trip in Peru.
- 2020 The COVID-19 pandemic disrupts global travel and community engagement worldwide.
- 2022 Continued impacts of the pandemic present significant challenges to project implementation and growth.
- 2024 Building Humanity returns to the field with its fourth international build trip in Tanzania.
- 2025 The organization launches its most ambitious initiative to date: a three-year partnership program in Kenya.
- 2026 Global uncertainty prompts adaptation, resilience, and new approaches to delivering impact.
Why Join Us
Real expertise. Real communities. Real impact.
Building Humanity is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Every project is initiated by a local community or partner, supported by volunteer professionals, and managed with a commitment to transparency, accountability, and measurable impact.
Professional Expertise
Transparency & Accountability
Community-Focused Impact
Where We Work
9 countries, 13 projects
Every project began with a community that asked for it. These are the places that have called, in the order they called.
- 1 Romania Caminul Felix Orphanage Home Build, Caminul Felix Village Build
- 2 India Pollinate Energy Young Professionals Program
- 3 Ghana The Green Clinic Build, Sabre Trust Ghana Exchange
- 4 Thailand Felix Family Bakery Build
- 5 Peru Sacred Valley Project Build
- 6 United States Community & Resiliency Center, Housing the Homeless
- 7 Tanzania Eternal Family Build
- 8 Madagascar Eagle Wings Montessori Water Infrastructure
- 9 Kenya RegisTree Composting Facility
- 10 Malawi Planned Preschool
- 11 Mongolia Planned Stone Point Learning Center
Seventeen Years of Builds
Romania, India, Thailand, Ghana, Peru, Tanzania, Louisiana and Kenya. A look at the work and the people behind it.
Be Part of the Impact
Every project begins with people who choose to make a difference. Whether you volunteer your time, share your professional expertise, or support our work through a donation, your contribution helps communities create lasting change.
Volunteer. Donate. Partner. Build a better future with us.
Contacts
- Orange, CA 92866
- info@buildinghumanity.org
- +1 714 758-5521
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Building Humanity is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that connects architects, engineers and volunteers with communities in need, providing safe places for living and learning to help break the cycle of poverty. Founded in 2009 after a summer in Romania, we have since worked in India, Thailand, Ghana, Peru, Tanzania, Louisiana, Kenya and Madagascar. Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Copyright © 2026 Building Humanity. All rights reserved. 501(c)(3) Tax ID 36-4646773.