Q&A: Baby Animals’ Suze DeMarchi on giving back

It’s Baby Animals 25th anniversary this year and the rock icons are marking the milestone by undertaking a life changing project. The band has teamed with non-profit housing ministry Habitat for Humanityto see 25 homes built across one week in Indonesia.

The project, titled Rock the House, will see 300 volunteers join the band this October in Yogyakarta to build homes side by side with Indonesian families who currently live in makeshift shelters without access to water, electricity or sanitation. Volunteer registration is now open atwww.rockthehouse.org.au.

In the Q&A below, Baby Animals linchpin Suze DeMarchi chats to TMN about her relationship with philanthropy, the lessons she’s learned about charity, and why the situation in Indonesia sparked such an upstanding response.

How did you end up connecting withHabitat for Humanity Australia and focusing on this one project?

I first worked with Habitat in 2006 in the US and their purpose meant a lot to me. A friend of mine does a lot of work with them here in Oz and I offered them a song from my recent Home record to use gratis. I also put my hand up to volunteer, which led to a discussion about how we could do something amazing together. Since it’s Baby Animals 25th anniversary, we had the idea to build 25 homes, and to rally the Aussie rock community to join us.

Tell us why the situation in Yogyakarta has caught your attention in such a big way?

All the places Habitat work in are in need of assistance and help.Yogyakarta is the closest location to Australia with the greatest need and with the capacity to host 300 volunteers. Here we have the opportunity to make a greater, more tangible impact on the lives of people who currently live without water, electricity or a front door to close at night.

What has your relationship with philanthropybeen like over your lifetime?

I’ve tried to get involved as much as I can with several different causes. Starting with Cystic Fibrosis in Melbourne back in the 90s. I did some work with Strike A Chord for Cancer when I moved back to Oz and Habitat for Humanity in the US and now here. Helping others helps to bring our own problems into perspective.

Through your work with charity, what’s the greatest lesson you’ve learned?

Helping others makes you happy. No matter how bad you think you have it, someone always has it worse, and it often doesn’t take much to help change things for the better.

You’re calling on the music industry to help.What kind of response are you expecting?

A big one I hope! So far theresponsehas been great. Most people want to take part in a life changing volunteer experience, but don’tknow where to start. HopefullyRock the House provides some guidance on how to go about it!

In your opinion arelocal music industry individuals very charitable?

The most amazing generous altruistic people I know are artists and musicians. I’ve never met anyone one who doesn’t put their hand up to help when necessary.

Do you have any long-term plans for Rock The House?

I would be happy to stay active with Habitat on some level for a long time. Let’s just get these first 25 homes done and then see where else we can go to contribute something to this beautiful planet we live on.