Habitat for Humanity International

Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian ministry founded on the conviction that every man, woman and child should have a decent, safe and affordable place to live. We build with people in need regardless of race or religion. We welcome volunteers and supporters from all backgrounds.   Why Habitat for Humanity is needed The world is experiencing a global housing crisis About 1.6 billion people live in substandard housing and 100 million are homeless.(1) Each week, more than 1 million people are born in, or move to, cities in the developing world.(2) One billion people (32 percent of the global urban population) live in urban slums. If no serious action were taken, the number of slum dwellers worldwide would increase over the next 30 years to nearly 2 billion.(3)   In the United States alone, 95 million people have housing problems Including payments too large a percentage of their income, overcrowding, poor quality shelter and homelessness.(4)   Clean, decent, and stable housing provides more than just a roof over someone’s head Stability for families and children. Sense of dignity and pride. Health, physical safety, and security. Increase of educational and job prospects.   The transformational ability of good housing Clean, warm housing is essential for prevention and care of diseases of poverty like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, diarrhea, and malaria.(5) Children under five in Malawi living in Habitat for Humanity houses have 44 percent less malaria, respiratory or gastrointestinal diseases compared to children living in traditional houses.(6)   Housing is a great means of wealth creation Home ownership is a form of wealth accumulation through equity and forced savings from mortgage repayment.(7) Housing construction creates job opportunities for migrants to cities and stimulates the creation of small business. The process of securing land tenure helps to increase access to credit.(8)   Good housing attracts economic investment and development Contributes to thriving school systems and community organizations. A catalyst for civic activism and a stimulus for community-based organizations. Safe homes and neighborhoods help to build social stability and security.(9)   Housing must become a priority The percentage of people without access to decent, stable housing is rising. Increasing the housing supply across the globe is essential. Adequate housing is vitally important to the health of the world’s economies, communities, and populations. If we are to succeed in the fight against poverty, we must support the expansion of housing both as policy and as practice.   What we build Our houses are simple, decent, and affordable to low-income families around the world. See what Habitat houses are like around the world. Whenever possible, we build sustainable, energy-efficient and healthy housing. Learn more about our construction technologies.   Why we build Nearly 2 billion people around the world live in slum housing and over 100 million are homeless. Habitat for Humanity is needed to help eliminate poverty by providing simple, decent shelter to those in need. Families left homeless by natural disasters, war and civil unrest often face dire housing situations as they struggle to rebuild their lives. Habitat for Humanity’s Disaster Response program provides shelter and housing solutions to help these families recover. How it’s possible Homeowners and volunteers build under trained supervision. Individuals, corporations, faith groups and others provide vital financial support. Learn more about Habitat's stewardship of these resources in our Annual Report and Financial Statement. In the U.S., Habitat for Humanity lends no-profit, no-interest mortgage loans to its beneficiary families. On a global scale, Habitat’s traditional model is not always possible. Our international housing finance programs consist of innovative housing finance practices and/or partnerships with microfinance organizations.   Where We Build Africa & the Middle East Asia & Pacific Europe & Central Asia Latin America & Caribbean United States & Canada