Globally, an estimated 1.6 billion people have inadequate shelter (United Nations and Habitat for Humanity, 2018). “Inadequate shelter” is defined as "conditions that harm...health, safety, prosperity, and opportunities." Refugees account for 84 million of the estimated 1.6 billion unsheltered people (UNHCR, 2021). Individuals and families may find themselves as refugees for a variety of reasons, including displacement from war or political violence, persecution based on race, religion, politics, or natural disaster. Currently, the world is watching an estimated 12.1 million Ukrainians become displaced in and out of Ukraine because of the Russian war on their country (UNHCR, 2022). These are mothers and children without a place to call home, searching for refugee status and a way to start over.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that less than 3% of refugees return to live in their home country after evacuating (2018). This means 97% of refugees need to build new lives for their children and families, usually only having the clothes on their backs as they start again from scratch. A new life without a safe and dignified home is simply not enough. The American Psychiatric Association estimates that one in three “refugees experience high rates of depression, anxiety, and PTSD”, noting that some refugees continue to experience mental health struggles for years. The mental, emotional, and physical health of these innocent men, women, and children should not be ignored. 

Even within the refugee population, the reasons why someone might not have adequate housing vary but the solution is the same. The Kauri Foundation is determined to end the refugee housing crisis by providing a solution: safe and dignified housing to families and individuals around the globe. As much more than just a temporary shelter, Kauri Foundation’s homes provide refugees with the opportunity to be self-sufficient through solar power and rainwater catchment systems, thus easing the financial transition into their new life. These houses are more than just shelter- they are homes, they are the promise of a future without limits. 

References

Global trends - forced displacement in 2018 - UNHCR. UNHCR Global Trends 2018. (2019, June 20). Retrieved April 27, 2022, from https://www.unhcr.org/globaltrends2018/ 

Metadata on SDG's Indicator 11.11. UN Habitat. (2018).

Retrieved April 27, 2022, from https://unhabitat.org/sites/default/files/2022/02/k2200397_-_hsp-eb-2022-7_-_final.pdf 

Refugee statistics. USA for UNHCR. (2021). Retrieved April 27, 2022, from https://www.unrefugees.org/refugee-facts/statistics/ 

Song, S., & Teichholtz, S. (n.d.). Mental health facts on refugees, asylum seekers and survivors of forced displacement. American Psychiatric Association.

Retrieved April 28, 2022, from https://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/Psychiatrists/Cultural-Competency/Mental-Health-Disparities/Mental-Health-Facts-for-Refugees.pdf 

Ukraine emergency: Aid, statistics and news: USA FOR UNHCR. Ukraine Emergency: Aid, Statistics and News | USA for UNHCR. (2022). Retrieved April 27, 2022, from https://www.unrefugees.org/emergencies/ukraine/