Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him to fish and you feed him for life. At Habitat for Humanity, we also transform lives - by creating proper homes. A home is more than a safe, secure structure. A proper home is the gateway to improved family health, better schooling for children, the chance to earn extra income.

The need for decent housing is real.

• More than 1.6 billion people worldwide – nearly one in four – lack a decent place to live. Up to 10 million people die each year from preventable causes, as a direct result of inadequate shelter, water or sanitation.
• An approximate 554 million people in the Asia-Pacific region are living in slums and informal housing communities in urban areas. In fact, the region account for 60% of slum dwellers worldwide.
• In the Philippines, government figures indicate that housing need is estimated at nearly 4 million, 2 million of which constitute the poverty housing need.
• The need is great and Habitat is able to reach out to only a part of those in need. That is why we rely on our partners to continue to reach out to a greater number of families in need

Habitat for Humanity works to contribute to the solution, a world where everyone has a decent place to live.

Sources: United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Special Report on the Right to Adequate Housing, Lancet, June 2003.

                  A Right to Decent Home: Mapping Poverty Housing in the Asia-Pacific Region

Why Habitat Is Needed

Building Homes: Our Core Competency

Product Alliances toward Building Communities

National Board of Trustees

Annual Report 2008 (PDF)

Friends of Habitat

Habitat Building and Resource Center (HBRC)

FAQ