woman and man in africa

2020 – Homes, Communities, Hope, You

Even as COVID-19 significantly impacted Habitat’s ability to build at full capacity — and likely will continue to do so in many locations well into 2021 — we still have seen great progress and positive results. In fiscal year 2020, we helped more than 5.9 million people build or improve a place to call home, and through training and advocacy, an additional 9.9 million gained the potential to improve their housing conditions.

Annual Report 2020 online

Stories and news

How a Common Material Is Quietly Changing Construction in India

India’s rivers are paying the price for its construction boom, with illegal sand mining deepening riverbeds and worsening floods. But a quiet revolution is underway—driven by M-sand, a sustainable alternative backed by local innovators and supported by the Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter (TCIS), an initiative led by Habitat for Humanity and supported by the Hilti Foundation. Together, they’re making it easier for families to build safe, affordable homes without harming the environment. With each new house built on M-sand, a more resilient and responsible future takes shape.

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Turning empty spaces into homes 

Ana Carolina Gomes, Associate Director for Strategy and Operations at Habitat for Humanity International, is leading efforts to address the gap of over 30 million homes in Europe sitting vacant and 900,000 people being homeless each night. At the World Urban Forum organized by UN-Habitat in November 2024, she outlined Habitat for Humanity’s plan to repurpose vacant buildings—a strategy that combines social impact with environmental responsibility. The goal is to increase affordvble housing while also reducing carbon emissions. 

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