香港灣仔駱克道 118號嘉洛商業大廈 9樓

9/F., Gaylord Commercial Building, 118 Lockhart Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong 電話 Tel：(852)2858 2099 傳真 Fax：(852)2858 2091

www.habitatchina.org

[Press Release]

Habitat for Humanity Raises Concerns over Substandard Housing Faced by

Millions People With Event to Launch Campaign to Serve Tens of Thousands of

Families in China and across Southeast Asia

Hong Kong, 19th September 2009: More than 100 volunteers from corporations, individuals

and partner organizations gathered at Victoria Park in Hong Kong today to build model

houses to raise awareness of substandard housing in Asia and to promote Habitat for

Humanity’s signature event, the 2009 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project.

Under the leadership of Habitat for Humanity China’ Honorary Chairman Darwin Chen,

actor/director Daniel Wu, actress Sandra Ng and Pastor Lam Yi Lok, the volunteers had one

hour to build five 2.5m high model houses with plastic bricks. The designs of the five houses

illustrate the five countries where the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project will take place

in November.

According to Habitat for Humanity China’s communication director Beatrice Chan, the aim

of the event was to encourage public concern about the need to ensure no one has to live in

substandard conditions or “poverty housing”. “Anyone, regardless of nationality, gender and

religion can become a Habitat volunteer to bring hope to families in need by improving their

living conditions,” she added.

Each of the bricks used in the model houses doubles as a donation box or “piggy” bank.

Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project is Habitat for Humanity’s annual signature event.

For the 26th year, from November 15 to 20, 2009, former US President and Nobel Peace

Prize Laureate Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn will unite over three thousand

volunteers from around the world, including 200 volunteers from Hong Kong and China, to

build and renovate 166 homes in five countries: China, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and

Laos. 2009 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project will also launch a five-year Habitat for

Humanity initiative to assist 50,000 low-income families across these countries, including

10,000 families in China.

Honorary Chairman of Habitat for Humanity China Dr. Darwin Chen said, “In rural areas of

China and the Asia-Pacific region, millions of people currently live on less than the

equivalent of US$1 a day. Since its establishment in 2000, Habitat for Humanity China has

succeeded in building almost 1,000 homes in Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi, as well as

earthquake-stricken Sichuan despite encountering funding challenges. We need to be aware

of the issues of poverty housing and get involved.”

香港灣仔駱克道 118號嘉洛商業大廈 9樓

9/F., Gaylord Commercial Building, 118 Lockhart Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong 電話 Tel：(852)2858 2099 傳真 Fax：(852)2858 2091

www.habitatchina.org

In China, the 2009 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project will take place in Qionglai City,

Sichuan which is approximately 80 km southwest of Chengdu and is home to 650,000

people. Since suitable land is scarce in Qionglai City, securing a home is challenging for poor

families. To resolve the housing issue, Habitat for Humanity China is partnering with the

local authorities in the area’s development plan, constructing multi-storey apartment

buildings that will serve as homes for 1,200 families in need. The current phase of the

project will house 300 families in units ranging from 45 to 120 sq. m. Monthly rents will be

about HK$100 a month.

For more information regarding 2009 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, please visit

http://www.habitatchina.org.

About Habitat for Humanity China

Habitat for Humanity China was established in 2000 and merged its operations in Hong

Kong and China into a single entity in 2006. The move aimed to leverage the resources and

business acumen of Asia’s premier international city to promote Habitat’s mission of

providing decent housing for those in need in the world’s largest developing

economy. Habitat for Humanity China currently works in Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan and

Yunnan Provinces in China, as well as in Hong Kong.

About Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity is an international non-governmental organization dedicated to

eliminating poverty housing. We work with people of all backgrounds, races and religions to

build homes together in partnership with families in need. Using volunteer labor and

financial contributions from caring people, we build with partners and communities to

provide simple, decent, and affordable housing for low-income families. Since 1976, Habitat

has built and renovated 300,000 homes in dozens of countries and territories, some 74,000

of them in the Asia-Pacific region. Today, an estimated 1,500,000 people, many of them in

our region, live in homes they have built with Habitat. For more information, visit

www.habitatchina.org.

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