How bad is the world’s shelter problem?
Catastrophic. At this very moment, 1 in 5 people in this world don’t have adequate shelter. Within the 5 minutes you spend looking at this site, 300 people will join the ranks. By tomorrow, 86,000 will be houseless.
Why are so many without a home?
Sometimes it’s due to an earthquake, tsunami or other natural disaster. Some are displaced due to war and civil unrest while others are born in slums with little hope for change. It has many causes, but one effect. Being houseless equals being hopeless.
Are the slums really that bad? What are the effects to the residents?
Whether the cause is manmade or natural, the effects are staggering. Each year thousands die of heatstroke, dehydration and exposure to elements due to lack of shelter. Hundreds of millions more do the best they can, using unsuitable materials that rot, leak, lack proper ventilation and offer no protection from heat or cold. These makeshift shanties put them at increased risk of malaria, emphysema and other severe illnesses. Some shelters require large amounts of wood to be collected and burned for heating and cooking, putting women and children at risk for sexual assault while out scouting for timber.
How can a simple shelter change lives when the residents are still living in poverty?
In addition to the physical benefits of shelter, it also gives families a sense of well being and ownership. Stable homes increase opportunities to generate income and focus on education, stop endless construction, and lower fuel consumption. Yes, shelters truly do change lives.
Why isn’t the world meeting this need?
We believe the answer is simple: The harvest is many but the laborers are few. Very few have provided a way to produce an affordable, capable, long lasting shelter that is socially acceptable. The low cost options, like tents, are temporary. The long lasting options, like brick houses, take 30 – 40 days and cost much more to build.
