ATLANTA, May 16 GA-HabitatInMekong-09
ATLANTA, May 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Habitat for Humanity International's 26th
annual "Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project" will be held in the Mekong
River region in November 2009. The Carters will join thousands of volunteers
in building houses and bringing attention to the need for decent and
affordable housing to countries along the Mekong River. The event will also
launch a five-year Habitat for Humanity campaign to assist families across the
region.
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The Mekong region - defined to include Vietnam, the Yunnan Province in
China, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia - has seen significant economic growth in
the past 20 years. Yet it is still home to some of the poorest families in
Asia. Nearly one third of the population (80 million out of 250 million) live
in poverty, many living on less than a dollar per day.
"Rosalynn and I are pleased to travel to the Mekong region to join
volunteers from around the world in 2009," said President Carter. "Together
during the week, we will help hundreds of families into decent housing and
bring attention to an area where many people live in deplorable poverty."
The week-long building project will secure homes in partnership with an
estimated 300 families. It also will begin a five-year Habitat for Humanity
initiative to assist 50,000 families across the five countries by engaging
corporations, individuals and partner organizations in the fight to end
poverty housing.
"The need for affordable housing is immense in the Mekong region," said
Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. "We look
forward to bringing worldwide attention to this issue through the Carter Work
Project and to working alongside these 300 families and assisting thousands
more throughout the five-year campaign to improve lives through
homeownership."
Plans for the event include builds in northern Thailand, where Habitat for
Humanity Thailand runs a successful program working with tribal families; in
rural communities in Yunnan, southwestern China; in southern Laos; in slum
areas of the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh, and in communities along the Mekong
delta in southern Vietnam.
"Habitat for Humanity has a strong and growing presence in all the Mekong
countries through a wide range of housing solutions," said Richard Hathaway,
vice president for Habitat for Humanity International's Asia/Pacific region.
"This project will provide a significant boost to those programs to serve even
more families in need of decent shelter."
The 2009 Carter Work Project will mark the fourth time the former U.S.
president and his wife have built with Habitat for Humanity in Asia. Previous
Carter Work Projects were held in India in 2006, in South Korea in 2001 and in
The Philippines in 1999.
This year, the event was held in the U.S. Gulf Coast to help with the
ongoing recovery efforts after 2005's hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Habitat's
annual project also was renamed the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project to
recognize the former first lady's years of dedicated service.
About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry
that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating
poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built more than
250,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for
more than 1 million people. For more information, visit www.habitat.org.
SOURCE Habitat for Humanity
