A home is the foundation on which we build our lives. It leads to better health, education and well-being, more economic growth and less poverty. Yet every day, 1 in 3 people around the world wake up without the security of a safe, decent home. The crisis is particularly acute in Africa, where an estimated 62% of urban dwellings are informal, putting millions of families at heightened risk from climate and economic shocks.
Knowing the importance a home has on families and its impact on communities, today, Habitat for Humanity in Africa joins hundreds of Habitat organizations and partners worldwide to launch the Let’s Open the Door campaign to bring awareness of the worldwide housing crisis and to rally people everywhere to take action.
This year, Habitat for Humanity marks 50 years of bringing people together to build prosperous and healthy communities. Drawing upon this milestone, this global campaign supported by various partners will bring this urgency forward through pop-up installations, on-the-ground builds, and digital storytelling across more than 60 countries. This coordinated effort is designed to help ignite a global movement around an issue shaping health, equity and economic resilience.
“Housing has been the core of Habitat’s work for 50 years. As a leader in global housing, Habitat for Humanity understands the keys that will unlock our vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live,” said Jonathan Reckford, chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity International. “With the support of our partners, the Let’s Open the Door campaign will create awareness of the need to increase better access to affordable and sustainable housing, and everyone can play a part. Whether by lending your voice, your time or your talents, you can help advance housing access, affordability and sustainable solutions, and help open the doors to homeownership for more families around the world.”
In Africa, the housing gap is widening as cities add millions of new residents every year, while formal supply, infrastructure and finance fail to keep pace. Mortgage access remains extremely limited in many countries, and regulatory bottlenecks slow delivery— challenges that compound the everyday reality for families priced out of safe, decent homes.
“As we mark 50 years of building alongside families and communities worldwide, we’re inviting the world to be part of something bigger,” said Mathabo Makuta, Africa Senior Director for Programs at Habitat for Humanity.“Now is the time to get involved. We need policy, finance and community action moving together in countries across Africa. Give. Speak up. Volunteer. Together let’s open the door to brighter futures and help close the housing gap, starting in our own neighbourhoods.”
In Africa, as part of the campaign, Habitat for Humanity will activate a continent-wide series of in-person and digital engagements designed to spotlight how a decent home opens doors to health, education, safety, climate resilience and generational wealth. To learn more about the Let’s Open the Door campaign, and the activations scheduled in various African countries throughout the year visit habitat.org. We will also share updates on the traveling pop-up door installations, Africa story series, media events, influencer collaborations and more.
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