Habitat for Humanity Singapore

Contact information HFH Singapore Century Technology Building 56 Lorong 23 Geylang 05-00 Singapore 388381 Singapore Phone: +65 67447326 Fax: +65 68445383 E-mail: info@habitat.org.sg         Web site www.habitat.org.sg				Singapore News and Stories Singapore Bank’s Volunteers Help Habitat Repair Indonesian School HFH Singapore Attracts Big Turnout For Third Annual Barefoot Charity Walk HFH Singapore’s Second Annual “Bare Your Sole” Charity Walk Attracts 2,500 People
Country profile

THE CITY STATE OF SINGAPORE IS AT once an entrepôt, a cosmopolitan metropolis, a high-tech hub and an international financial center. In two generations, rapid government-led industrialization and open policies inviting foreign investments stimulated rapid economic growth.

In Singapore, the elimination of poverty has, in part, been driven by official concern to create decent housing. Before the Singapore government established the Housing & Development Board (HDB) as the country’s public housing authority in 1960, only nine percent of the population enjoyed low-cost public housing.

Today, more than 80 percent of Singapore’s population lives in very high quality HDB flats and more than 90 percent of these residents also own their flats.

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Registered in March 2002, Habitat for Humanity Singapore is involved in fundraising, advocacy and organizing volunteers. It also organizes local home improvement and safety projects.

HFH Singapore has focused attention on the issue of substandard housing through high profile events designed to reach wide audiences. An annual charity walk, “Bare Your Sole”, gives participants the chance to experience one of the commonest features faced by impoverished families — going without shoes.

Another program known as “Under No Roof ” also provides an experience of poverty. Since 2003, HFH Singapore has used the event to raise awareness among young people about substandard housing and homelessness. The event involves participants constructing and spending the night in make-shift shelters. The annual event has been successfully adopted by Habitat campus chapters in the Philippines and South Korea as well as by international schools in Hong Kong.

HFH Singapore has formed close links with HFH Indonesia’s Batam affiliate. Batam island is only a short ferry ride from Singapore, making it an ideal location for short volunteer builds.

HABITAT HIGHLIGHTS

• In March 2009, a 10-strong volunteer team took part in HFH Singapore’s first-ever Women Build held on the Indonesian island of Batam.

• In June 2007, HFH Singapore celebrated the 1,700th family housed in tsunami-affected Meulaboh on the west coast of Indonesia. In addition to the US$9 million grant from the Singapore Red Cross, HFH Singapore raised some US$500,000 for reconstruction after the Indian Ocean tsunami.

• Since 2002, Singapore has sent more than 5,000 volunteers to Habitat builds in China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines, Romania, Sri Lanka and Thailand as well as areas affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

COUNTRY FACTS

Population: 4,701,069 (July 2010 est.)

Capital: Singapore

Area: 697 sq. km.

Ethnic groups: Chinese 76.8%, Malay 13.9%, Indian 7.9%, others 1.4% (2000 census)

Languages: Mandarin 35%, English 23%, Malay 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%, Cantonese 5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 1.8%, others 0.9% (2000 census)

Religions: Buddhist 42.5%, Muslim 14.9%, Taoist 8.5%, Hindu 4%, Catholic 4.8%, Christian 9.8%, others 0.7%, none 14.8% (2000 census)

Literacy: 92.5% (2000 census)

Urbanization: 100% (2008)

Access to Improved Water Sources: 100% (2009)

Access to Improved Sanitation Facilities: 100% (2009)

Sources: CIA World Factbook, World Bank

Updated January 2011