Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka launches ‘Brick by Brick Campaign’

In over 25 years, Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka has provided more than 27,000 low-income families, the opportunity to rebuild their lives with a safe and decent place to call home. Pictured: Habitat beneficiary family in Kalutara. 

• Initiative aimed at building homes for low-income families affected by COVID-19
• Habitat Sri Lanka marks National Housing Week by raising awareness on the need for affordable and adequate housing solutions for families affected by COVID-19

The importance of a safe and decent place to call home has never been more pronounced than during the COVID-19 global health crisis. Across every sphere, from health to the economy, security to social protection, the impacts of COVID-19 have been felt hardest by low-income families, particularly daily-wage workers. The lack of safe housing, access to clean water and adequate sanitation facilities appears to be front and centre of the conversation with regards to equipping families to face the crisis. This National Housing Week, Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka highlights the need for affordable and adequate housing solutions for low-income families affected by the COVID-19 crisis in Sri Lanka.

Daily more families find themselves in a struggle to keep a decent roof over their heads. Caught in punishing cycles of unpredictable rent increases, overcrowded conditions, or lack of access to land and affordable financing options, these families live with a constant burden of uncertainty, stress and fear. As revealed in the Housing Needs Assessment Survey of 2016, out of the 6 million families living in Sri Lanka, only 5.2 million families have some form of shelter. This alarming statistic highlights the fact that more than 800,000 families in Sri Lanka are currently in need of a safe and decent place to call home.

For low-income families who live in extremely poor conditions, living in homes that are already too small and overcrowded, social distancing and self-isolation directives seem impractical. Maintaining social distance is nearly impossible for low-income families who live in overcrowded spaces, because the only way they can afford rent or save money is for extended family to stay together. While hand washing is a crucial preventative measure to stop the spread of the virus, many low-income families do not have easy access to clean water or adequate sanitation facilities. Thus, now more than ever, families need the security and stability of a decent home that they can afford.

Since 1994, Habitat for Humanity has helped more than 27,000 families secure safe, affordable and decent housing, build community, and forge a path toward greater stability. Now, in these challenging times, Habitat is confronting the national housing need through its first-of-its-kind ‘Brick by Brick Campaign’.

The Brick by Brick Campaign aims to raise awareness and support of Habitat’s work in order to help low income families build a safe and secure place to call home in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Through this campaign Habitat seeks to build homes for 100 low-income families affected by the pandemic. 

Commenting the new fund raising campaign, Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka National Director of Yu Hwa Li said: “Funds raised through the Brick by Brick Campaign will allow us to support some of the most vulnerable low-income families affected by the pandemic. At Habitat we know that a safe, decent, affordable home is critical to a family forging a path out of poverty. When families have access to stable, quality affordable housing, they can become part of a diverse community, find and keep jobs, lead healthier lives and take better care of their children. At Habitat, we know that a ‘home’ is much more than just having a roof over one’s head, it is the hope and the possibility of a better life.” 

Join the Brick by Brick Campaign by visiting habitatsrilanka.orgicampaignsibrick-by-bricki Donate towards this worthy cause and share your support by using #BrickByBrick on social media.