Singapore

Context at a glance

In Singapore the elimination of poverty has, in part, been driven by official concern to create decent housing. Before the Singapore government established the Housing & Development Board (HDB) as the country’s public housing authority in 1960, only nine per cent of the population enjoyed low-cost public housing. Today, 86 per cent of Singapore’s population lives in very high quality HDB flats.

Habitat for Humanity Programme

Registered in March 2002, Habitat for Humanity Singapore is involved in fund-raising, advocacy and organising volunteers, along with local home improvement and safety projects. In 2006, HFH Singapore started Operation Homeworks, a home improvement and safety project that has benefited more than 150 elderly and disabled people to date with the help of nearly 1,200 volunteers.

Singapore was the first Habitat country to send disaster response teams to Sri Lanka and Aceh after the December 2004 tsunami. HFH Singapore has also formed close links with HFH Indonesia’s Batam affiliate. Batam island is only a short ferry ride from Singapore, making it an ideal location for short volunteer builds.

Country Facts

Population: 4.6 million (July 2007 est.)
Capital: Singapore
Area: 692.7 sq. km.
Ethnic groups: Chinese 76.8%, Malay 13.9%, Indian 7.9%, others 1.4% (2000 census)
Languages: Mandarin 35%, English 23%, Malay 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%, Cantonese 5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 1.8%, others 0.9% (2000 census)
Religions: Buddhist 42.5%, Muslim 14.9%, Taoist 8.5%, Hindu 4%, Catholic 4.8%, Christian 9.8%, others 0.7%, none 14.8% (2000 census)

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