Exo Directory

Habitat For Humanity

Habitat for humanity is an international, Christian, non-governmental, non-profit organization devoted to building simple, decent and affordable housing in partnership with people in need. Millard and Linda Fuller founded this organization in 1976 in Americus, Georgia. In 2006, its international headquarter moved to Atlanta. Although headquartered in United States, two thirds of Habitat construction takes place in other countries. They work around the world with volunteers from all backgrounds, races and religions to build homes together for families in need.

Qualification for home ownership-

Homeowner families are chosen according to their needs, their ability to repay the no-profit, no-interest mortgage and their willingness to work in partnership with Habitat. Mortgage payments from homeowners are deposited into a locally administered ‘Fund for Humanity’, the proceeds of which go towards future construction.

Habitat for Humanity does not discriminate between races, religions and ethnic groups.

Homeowners are usually expected to put approximately 500 hours of labour into their own or other projects, although it varies from locations to locations.

Habitat homes are for people with children-families. Childfree couples or singles do not qualify for Habitat homes.

Habitat builds simple houses with locally appropriate materials. This means concrete block homes in developing nations and poured concrete-walled homes in hurricane-prone regions in United States. Habitat relies on volunteer labour in order to construct simple and affordable homes for its partner families, as well as to build community and civil society in the areas in which it works.

Many politicians and celebrities have volunteered with Habitat, reflecting its profile as a highly regarded non-profit.

In 1996, the ex -US president Bill Clinton awarded Fuller the presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honour, calling Habitat for Humanity as ‘the most successful continuous community service project in the history of the United States’.