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 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. HFH 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.
