Inclusive housing thematic focus
Although Vietnam has lifted more than 35 million people out of poverty since the early 1990s due to rapid economic growth and reforms, nearly 11 percent of Vietnam’s 90-million population is still living below the national poverty line of 400,000 dong (about US$20) per month in rural areas.
According to the 2009 Population and Housing Census, 7.8 percent of Vietnam population lives in temporary or substandard housing. Low-income families, who could hardly afford to save money given their meager earnings, are trapped in an annual cycle of repairs.
Habitat for Humanity Vietnam is committed to helping low-income families find a way out of poverty through safe and decent homes. Vietnam partners with the families to build, repair or upgrade their homes with families contributing “sweat equity” or their own labor, and typically repaying the costs through microfinance loans.
Safe, smart & resilient communities
Although Vietnam has made rapid progress in improving adequate access to clean water over the past decades, the poorest communities – particularly the ethnic minorities and those living in remote rural areas – are not gaining as much.
Nation-wide, 1.1 percent of the urban and 8.6 percent of the rural population practice open defecation respectively. Open defecation is largely practiced by the poor (22.9 percent) and ethnic minority groups (27.5 percent). Water contaminated by human waste spreads numerous diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, hepatitis A and typhoid, especially in the wake of natural disasters.
We facilitate the comprehensive implementation of the PASSA method by engaging local authorities, disaster risk management boards, and communities. Additionally, we build the capacity of Disaster Risk Management boards, enabling them to guide communities in creating disaster risk mitigation plans based on the Community-Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) approach. Furthermore, we apply and disseminate localized “Build Back Safer” solutions among local masons and communities.
In the immediate aftermath of disasters, our response includes distributing nonfood items like water, sanitation, and hygiene kits, which feature essentials such as water filters and disinfection tablets. We also provide emergency shelter kits to help families secure temporary safe housing. Our recent initiatives include preparing for drought and saltwater intrusion in Tien Giang province and supporting typhoon-hit families in central Vietnam with emergency kits and shelter repair kits. By partnering with local authorities and communities, we develop and disseminate safer building techniques through videos, booklets, and hands-on training, enhancing local capacities to build more resilient homes.
Access to safe sanitation and clean water – fundamental tools of public health improvement – goes hand-in-hand with decent housing. Habitat for Humanity helps to provide families with affordable access to adequate water and sanitation facilities through microloans. Communities also receive educational training in basic health knowledge, the importance of clean water and safe sanitation as well as proper personal hygiene. In addition, Habitat Vietnam provides technical support for the construction of: Rainwater harvesting systems and septic tanks, water filters, water towers and supply systems, and toilets.
Advocacy: Public- people engagement
We influence policies, systems, and norms through community empowerment and institutional strengthening, such as integrating the needs of people with disability in pro-poor housing programs; advocating for the Vietnamese Government’s programs to eliminate asbestos and supporting people living in informal settlements.
Volunteers are an integral part of Habitat for Humanity’s mission to create a world where everyone has a decent place to live. In Vietnam, Habitat for Humanity works with volunteers to build and repair homes, work on water and sanitation projects, and help create decent, sustainable communities.
In addition to hands-on volunteer efforts, Habitat for Humanity Vietnam plays a crucial role in advocacy. The organization is part of the non-ACM advocacy network, supporting government programs on ZERO ACM through advocacy. We engage in housing policy analysis and advocate for national policymakers to standardize technical guidance in government housing support programs. Habitat Vietnam develops position papers and promotes them in relevant avenues to influence policy and systems.
The Home Equals initiative is part of Habitat for Humanity’s broader strategy to ensure everyone has equitable access to decent housing. The aim of Home Equals is to enhance housing conditions, improve access to clean water and sanitation, and promote community integration for vulnerable groups residing in informal settlements. This initiative involves advocacy, policy development, and direct interventions to create sustainable and resilient communities. Find out more.
