MANILA, Mar 14, 2025 – (ACN Newswire) – Habitat for Humanity is excited to engage young people in the Asia-Pacific region in creating innovative housing solutions through grants worth up to US$40,000. Through the Habitat Youth Solutions grant, up to 10 young people or youth organizations in the region can each win US$4,000 to start, scale up, or replicate culturally and contextually appropriate projects that help their local communities improve their housing conditions.
“Youth for Good Nepal”, which is one of the previous winners of the 2023 Youth Solutions Microgrant, organized eight workshops in Kathmandu, Nepal, for 321 participants to learn about earthquake safety and retrofitting techniques from experts. Through the grant, the team developed and distributed educational materials on disaster resilience, strategically partnering with 5 local government units, 5 youth clubs and local organizations, and 1 school in implementing the workshops.
Indo Gajahlah Kebersihan – Gajahlah Kebersihan, from Bandar Lampung, Indonesia, trained 30 community members on manufacturing ventilation blocks from recycled plastics. In just six months, the innovation re-used 220,000 pieces of plastics as building materials, preventing them from polluting marine environments. The organization also engaged 100 students, raising awareness about the coastal housing issue and how this solution addresses the need.
PHL Modern Balsa – The Modern Balsa Initiative from the Philippines built an indigenous community’s first floating sanitary facility in Sabang Adgawan, Agusan del Sur, with help from 89 local volunteers. The facility currently serves 411 households with a population of 2,053. In partnership with a government-run technical-vocational education agency, the initiative trained 45 community members on basic carpentry and masonry.
“The Asia-Pacific region is not on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, as U.N. data show. With rapid urbanization, climate change, environmental degradation and social inequality, sustainable cities and communities seem like a distant dream,” said Liz Satow, Area Vice President for Asia-Pacific, Habitat for Humanity International.
“But there is hope. The youth in Asia-Pacific bring a wealth of exciting and creative ideas, passion, and determination to address these challenges. When governments, civil society and communities join hands with the youth of Asia-Pacific, the partnership creates solutions that are grounded in the reality of their communities, and therefore, can be incredibly effective.”
The 13-year Habitat Young Leaders Build campaign attests to the youth’s potential and power to advance the cause of affordable housing. Besides the grant, up to 40 shortlisted applicants will convene at the Youth Assembly in the Philippines in mid-2025 to network with experts in housing, urban development and project management, learn from previous grant winners, and ideate with peers from across the region. In addition, winners of the 2025 Habitat Youth Solutions grant will receive mentorship from experts and implementors from Habitat’s network of volunteer leaders and development partners.
Through such youth engagement and collaboration, about 4,000 individuals in up to 10 communities in the region will gain access to affordable housing.
Past winners of the 2023 Habitat Youth Solutions included Indonesian organization Gajahlah Kebersihan. They trained 30 community members in manufacturing ventilation blocks from recycled plastics. In six months, 220,000 pieces of plastics were reused as building materials instead of ending up as marine pollutants. About 100 Indonesian students also helped raise awareness about the risks of coastal housing and highlighted the innovative recycling initiative.
“Winning Habitat’s Youth Solutions Micro-grant was a game-changer for us. It allowed us to expand our impact, be more involved in sustainable building issues and connect with like-minded people and organizations,” said Dicky Alfandy, co-founder of Gajahlah Kebersihan.
Application for the 2025 Habitat Youth Solutions grant is open until April 13, 2025. Interested young leaders can learn more through the official web page.
About Habitat for Humanity
Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity found its earliest inspirations as a grassroots movement on an interracial community farm in U.S.A. Since its founding in 1976, the housing organization has grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in more than 70 countries. In the Asia-Pacific region since 1983, Habitat for Humanity has supported millions of people to build or improve a place they can call home. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. To learn more, donate or volunteer, visit habitat.org/asiapacific.
Contact:
Angeli C. Alba-Pascual
+63 920 956 3376
aalba@habitat.org
For further information or to set up interviews, please contact Ms. Angeli Alba-Pascual, AAlba@habitat.org, +63 920 956 3376. Please find related photos and videos here.
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