More than 7.1 million people now have a safe house
Annual Report 2022
A concrete floor in a house provides safety, comfort, health, and empowerment for the family that lives there. This was taught to us by María Natalia from Guatemala, who now has a concrete floor in her home instead of a dirt floor.
She makes a living weaving traditional Guatemalan embroidery. Today, she carries out her economic activity from the comfort of her home. She does it without pain in her knees due to the stones and irregularity of the dirt floor, nor does she inhale dust, nor do her textiles get dirty.
In addition, she and her husband’s health benefited directly after the construction of the concrete floor in their home. They no longer suffer from frequent coughs and flu. The concrete floor in Maria Natalia’s home is a reality thanks to the partnership between Cementos Progreso, the Inter-American Cement Federation, Habitat for Humanity Guatemala, the Cement and Concrete Institute of Guatemala, and the Indigenous Entrepreneurs Network.
This year, her family became one of the many to be served by the 100,000 Floors to Play On initiative launched by Habitat and FICEM, which aims to replace 100,000 dirt floors with concrete throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
Their story is part of Habitat for Humanity’s latest Annual Report 2022, which summarizes the results of the organization’s work, conducted in the fiscal year 2022, in more than 70 countries.
“This year, our staff, supporters, volunteers, and advocates demonstrated an unwavering sense of duty and dedication to our vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live”— Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International
“This year, our staff, supporters, volunteers, and advocates demonstrated an unwavering sense of duty and dedication to our vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “It is this steadfast faith, persistence, and drive that compels us to innovate and grow in ways that foster greater access to the opportunity we all need and deserve. The incredible work we’ve been able to accomplish this year, despite economic uncertainty roiled by an ongoing pandemic, war abroad, and increasingly severe weather events, is a critical reminder that no matter what, we will find a way home.”
In the last fiscal year (2022), Habitat helped more than 7.1 million people improve or build their homes around the world. Of that total, more than 1.7 million people live in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Another 5 million people gained the potential to improve housing conditions through training programs and advocacy work in local communities. Habitat also contributed to successful policy and systems change that improved access to decent and affordable housing in 14 countries.
Response to natural and manmade disasters is a recurring focus in Habitat’s work, as reflected in the report. In February, millions of refugees fleeing war in Ukraine found themselves in need of safe shelter across neighboring Poland, Romania, Hungary, and Slovakia.
Habitat stepped up to meet the need of those displaced by distributing emergency travel kits and helping families secure short-, mid-, and long-term accommodations. Today, the organization continues to provide shelter-related services to refugees in each country as well as in Germany.
“None of this could have been possible without the more than 700,000 volunteers who helped build, advocate and raise awareness about the global need for shelter in the past year,” Reckford said. “To all of you, we are so incredibly grateful for your support and passion for the mission.”
Read the Habitat report by downloading the PDF or reviewing the digital version.