Quick facts
- Families served in 2016: 770
- Date when Habitat started working in the country: 1989
- Families served: 22,000
- Volunteers hosted: More than 3,000
- Housing solutions: 22,000
Habitat for Humanity in Honduras
Habitat for Humanity Honduras is an apolitical, non-governmental, non-profit, private civil development association, with a Christian foundation, which manages its own assets. It supports low-income families to create a better habitat where they can live through a program of credit and subsidies. Visit our website: www.habitathn.org
The housing need in Honduras
68.2% of the population lives in poverty, of which 44.6% are extremely poor. 8% of households are overcrowded, plus 14% of households do not have a water and sanitation systems. Also, 38% of households in rural areas do not have electricity. The country has 1,930,223 independent houses. The Inter-American Development Bank says that the housing deficit in Honduras is around 57%, out of which 30% is quantitative deficit meaning that the construction of 350,000 new homes is required, while 70% it is qualitative deficit, i.e. homes that require improvement of some kind, about 770,000 homes.
Habitat’s contribution in Honduras
Habitat for Humanity Honduras is an organization whose main activity is focused on the construction and improvement of housing solutions, with a commitment to impact communities and giving priority to the most vulnerable families in the country, in order to improve their quality of life.
Our programs
Constructions interventions
Currently support is provided to low-income families to improve their housing conditions, through the program of loans and grants for the construction or improvement of simple, safe and economic housing. Habitat Honduras also provides credit and technical assistance so that it can gradually improve housing, repairing or renovating ceilings, floors, walls, toilets, etc.
Influencing Public Policy
Is aimed at changing legal and political frameworks and systems, practices, programs and allocations of resources through the development of a municipal social housing policy. Currently approval has been accomplished for 122 policies, that is, 122 of 289 municipalities in Honduras now have a housing policy. In addition, advocacy with the central government continues as part of the Network of Solidarity Housing Development Organizations (Red de Organizaciones Desarrolladoras de Vivienda Solidaria - REDVISOL).
Volunteerism
National volunteerism is one of the strongest pillars of Habitat Honduras: more than 600 volunteers are integrated into the organizational structures, National Assembly, National Board, Regional Assemblies, and Regional and local Committees. In addition, construction brigades support specific actions that have direct impact on reducing costs. During the year, more than 100 local volunteer brigades and 20 international brigades, from the United States and Canada, were set up.
Training and community development
All beneficiaries go through a training process on constructive issues, financial education and healthy housing in order to build local capacities that lead to improving their quality of life. In addition, organization and community development of housing complexes built is supported by facilitating processes.
Meet a Habitat family
Hector Manuel Rodriguez and Suyapa Mejia have their house in the neighborhood of La Union of San Pedro Sula. Suyapa is a housewife and Hector is a technical and computer expert who works as an auditor. They have three children and for a long time lived in a place with many limitations, but a plot of land was donated to them where they built their home. “After several years of trying with various financial institutions and, despite having a permanent job and be a contributor in a Contributions System, I never received support to build my own house as there were always obstacles to our credit request. The only thing that was offered us as alternative was to relocate in housing projects in remote sites and high cost, but thanks to Habitat Honduras we have managed to fulfill a cherished dream for many years as it is to have a decent home “. “We are very grateful to this organization that has given us all the support to realize our family dream, now we are very happy and motivated to continue our efforts to achieve our goals and thus have a better future; thanks to Habitat for making happy families, “said Hector.
What you can do
You can help families in need of Honduras living in unsanitary and overcrowded conditions, by one or more of the following:
Donate: www.habitathn.org/solidarizate
Volunteer: Join one of Global Village’s scheduled trips to Honduras or organize your own brigade.
To learn more about Habitat’s programs in Honduras, please contact:
Alberto Benitez
Executive Director
hphalbesa@habitat.hn
Maria Fernanda Cortez
Funding development Assistant
mcortez@habitat.hn