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.
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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.
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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.
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In the Philippines, government figures indicate that housing need is estimated at nearly 4 million, 2 million of which constitute the poverty housing need.
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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
Related Pages
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)
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