[Press Release] Habitat for Humanity Raises Concerns over Substandard Housing Faced by Millions People With Event to Launch Campaign to Serve Tens of Thousands of Families in China and across Southeast Asia Hong Kong, 19th September 2009: More than 100 volunteers from corporations, individuals and partner organizations gathered at Victoria Park in Hong Kong today to build model houses to raise awareness of substandard housing in Asia and to promote Habitat for Humanity’s signature event, the 2009 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project. Under the leadership of Habitat for Humanity China’ Honorary Chairman Darwin Chen, actor/director Daniel Wu, actress Sandra Ng and Pastor Lam Yi Lok, the volunteers had one hour to build five 2.5m high model houses with plastic bricks. The designs of the five houses illustrate the five countries where the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project will take place in November. According to Habitat for Humanity China’s communication director Beatrice Chan, the aim of the event was to encourage public concern about the need to ensure no one has to live in substandard conditions or “poverty housing”. “Anyone, regardless of nationality, gender and religion can become a Habitat volunteer to bring hope to families in need by improving their living conditions,” she added. Each of the bricks used in the model houses doubles as a donation box or “piggy” bank. Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project is Habitat for Humanity’s annual signature event. For the 26th year, from November 15 to 20, 2009, former US President and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn will unite over three thousand volunteers from around the world, including 200 volunteers from Hong Kong and China, to build and renovate 166 homes in five countries: China, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. 2009 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project will also launch a five-year Habitat for Humanity initiative to assist 50,000 low-income families across these countries, including 10,000 families in China. Honorary Chairman of Habitat for Humanity China Dr. Darwin Chen said, “In rural areas of China and the Asia-Pacific region, millions of people currently live on less than the equivalent of US$1 a day. Since its establishment in 2000, Habitat for Humanity China has succeeded in building almost 1,000 homes in Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi, as well as earthquake-stricken Sichuan despite encountering funding challenges. We need to be aware of the issues of poverty housing and get involved.”
香港灣仔駱克道 118 號嘉洛商業大廈 9 樓 9/F., Gaylord Commercial Building, 118 Lockhart Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong 電話 Tel：(852)2858 2099 傳真 Fax：(852)2858 2091 www.habitatchina.org
In China, the 2009 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project will take place in Qionglai City, Sichuan which is approximately 80 km southwest of Chengdu and is home to 650,000 people. Since suitable land is scarce in Qionglai City, securing a home is challenging for poor families. To resolve the housing issue, Habitat for Humanity China is partnering with the local authorities in the area’s development plan, constructing multi-storey apartment buildings that will serve as homes for 1,200 families in need. The current phase of the project will house 300 families in units ranging from 45 to 120 sq. m. Monthly rents will be about HK$100 a month. For more information regarding 2009 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, please visit http://www.habitatchina.org. About Habitat for Humanity China Habitat for Humanity China was established in 2000 and merged its operations in Hong Kong and China into a single entity in 2006. The move aimed to leverage the resources and business acumen of Asia’s premier international city to promote Habitat’s mission of providing decent housing for those in need in the world’s largest developing economy. Habitat for Humanity China currently works in Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces in China, as well as in Hong Kong. About Habitat for Humanity Habitat for Humanity is an international non-governmental organization dedicated to eliminating poverty housing. We work with people of all backgrounds, races and religions to build homes together in partnership with families in need. Using volunteer labor and financial contributions from caring people, we build with partners and communities to provide simple, decent, and affordable housing for low-income families. Since 1976, Habitat has built and renovated 300,000 homes in dozens of countries and territories, some 74,000 of them in the Asia-Pacific region. Today, an estimated 1,500,000 people, many of them in our region, live in homes they have built with Habitat. For more information, visit www.habitatchina.org. – End –
香港灣仔駱克道 118 號嘉洛商業大廈 9 樓 9/F., Gaylord Commercial Building, 118 Lockhart Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong 電話 Tel：(852)2858 2099 傳真 Fax：(852)2858 2091 www.habitatchina.org