Sibolga, January 5, 2026 — Flash floods, landslides, and extreme weather that struck northern Sumatra since late November 2025 have left deep scars. Millions of residents were forced to evacuate after their homes were destroyed by landslide debris and overflowing rivers. In response to this crisis, Habitat for Humanity Indonesia is calling for national solidarity to support housing recovery efforts for affected families, particularly in Sibolga City and Tapanuli Tengah Regency.

Based on the Rapid Assessment conducted by Habitat Indonesia’s Rapid Assessment Team between December 11–21, 2025, a total of 633 houses were reported damaged, 311 of which were severely damaged, leaving residents without safe shelter. Conditions for flood and landslide survivors in Sibolga have now reached a critical phase. The latest 2025 Joint Needs Assessment (JNA) report reveals that more than 57% of affected homes are no longer safe to live in. Habitat for Humanity Indonesia is urging immediate action from all sectors of society to assist the thousands of people who have lost their homes and access to basic health services.

A Humanitarian Crisis Amid the Ruins

An estimated 7,276 people are currently displaced. South Sibolga and North Sibolga are among the most critical areas, where hundreds of homes along hillsides and riverbanks have suffered severe structural damage.

“A house is more than just a building — it is a family’s final line of protection. In Sibolga, that protection has collapsed for hundreds of families,” said Arwin Soelaksono, Program Director of Habitat for Humanity Indonesia. “We are on the ground not only to assess damage, but to ensure that families can return to homes that are safer, more decent, and more resilient to future disasters.”

Habitat Indonesia’s Concrete Actions on the Ground

Habitat Indonesia has developed a first-year humanitarian response plan focused on:

• Distribution of Recovery Shelter Kits (toolkits for home repair): Targeting 1,000 families.
• Housing Repairs: Implementing repairs and structural retrofitting for 500 homes.
• Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Recovery: Providing clean water access, sanitation services, and training on safer rebuilding practices (Build Back Safer).
• Support for Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI): Ensuring vulnerable groups — including women-headed households, the elderly, and people with disabilities — have safe and inclusive access to markets and cash assistance.

A Humanitarian Call: Let’s Rebuild Together

Post-disaster recovery requires substantial resources. Habitat for Humanity Indonesia invites the private sector, communities, and individuals to join this humanitarian mission. Every contribution will directly support the procurement of building materials, construction tools, and technical assistance for building safe homes.

Habitat for Humanity Indonesia invites you to bring hope to Sibolga residents through kitabisa.com/bangunharapansibolga or via Habitat for Humanity Indonesia’s official donation account:
Post-Disaster Housing Recovery in Sibolga

Please add “26” at the end of your donation amount (for example: IDR 100,026) to help us identify your contribution.

“We invite everyone to be part of the solution. With your donation, we are not only providing a roof — we are giving new hope for the people of Sibolga to rebuild their lives and plan for the future,” Arwin added.

Writer: Astridinar Vania

(av/kh)

Jakarta, December 31, 2025 — As we come to the end of a long journey in 2025, Habitat for Humanity Indonesia would like to express our deepest gratitude to donors, partners, institutions, volunteers, and every individual who has walked alongside us throughout this year.

Thank you for the time you have shared. For the energy you have poured in. For the resources offered with sincere hearts. Above all, thank you for believing in a simple yet powerful vision: that every family deserves a decent place to live.

Every step taken this year was more than just an activity. Every house that now stands is more than just a structure. Every story we hear is more than a report. Each one is a trace of kindness — a legacy that remains in the lives of families who now have a safe space to grow, heal, and plan for a better future.

As we look back and retrace our path through 2025, we realize that the collective impact of our actions has reached far beyond what meets the eye.

Since 1997, Habitat for Humanity has been present in Indonesia, this collaborative work has helped 219,704 families achieve stability, independence, and well-being. A total of 39,870 decent homes has been built, bringing long-awaited safety to thousands of families.

Beyond housing, we also expanded access to sanitation and clean water. A total of 31,842 adequate sanitation facilities and various clean-water sources are now part of daily life for many families. Meanwhile, 787 community facilities have been built to strengthen local communities.

Behind these numbers are countless hands working tirelessly in Indonesia for over 28 years. There are 54,747 Habitat volunteers who not only carry bricks and build walls but also plant hope. There are also housing market development initiatives that reached 73,987 individuals, opening a more inclusive ecosystem for low-income families.

Thanks to the generosity and compassion of #SahabatHabitat, 988,668 individuals across Indonesia are now experiencing real benefits from these programs—from Batam, Tangerang, Bogor, Karawang, Garut, Cilegon, Palembang, Yogyakarta, Gresik, Kupang, to Sabu Raijua Island in East Nusa Tenggara.

Among hundreds of thousands of stories, one mirrors the journey of many families. Amalia, a recipient of a decent home in Mauk, Tangerang Regency, had spent years living in unsafe conditions, constantly worried about leaks during heavy rain. Each night, she could only hope her children would stay healthy and unafraid.

Today, her expression changed when she spoke about her new life. “Here, I finally feel like a mother who truly has a place to protect her children. My child can study without worry, and I can think about their future with peace of mind. It feels like being given a second chance to rebuild our lives,” she shared.

Amalia’s story reminds us that a house is not just walls and a roof. A house is a beginning — the place where values, love, education, and hope are nurtured.

Your contributions have helped reduce the number of families still living in inadequate housing. But if we focus only on statistics, we risk losing the deeper meaning of this journey. The true impact lies in the long days of fieldwork, difficult decisions, perseverance in the face of obstacles, and the emotions shared with families who continue to endure. This is what turns change into reality.

Welcoming 2026: Continuing Hope, Strengthening Compassion

As we enter 2026, Habitat for Humanity Indonesia humbly asks for your prayers and support. Next year, we will begin a two-year disaster recovery program in Sibolga, North Sumatra.

In mid-January 2026, the Habitat team will distribute shelter kits to 1,000 survivor families as an initial step toward rebuilding their lives. Anyone who wishes to take part in this recovery journey may contribute through: kitabisa.com/campaign/bangunharapansibolga

As we look toward the new year, we do so with renewed confidence — confidence that every small step matters, and that when we move together, change can happen repeatedly, multiplying in ways we may not expect.

Habitat for Humanity Indonesia is proud to continue building the future with families across the country — not only today, but for the years to come.

With deep gratitude, we say:

thank you for your trust,

thank you for your hard work,

and thank you for being part of the Habitat for Humanity Indonesia family.

We look forward to upcoming years filled with collaboration, growth, and extraordinary stories together.

Video: HFHI/Budi Ariyanto

Writer: Kevin Herbian

(kh/av)

Jakarta, December 23, 2025 – Climate-resilient housing is no longer merely an option, but a national imperative for Indonesia. As one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, Indonesia faces significant risks, with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, through its Health Crisis Center, reporting that nearly 80% of disasters in the country are hydro-meteorological in nature—including floods, landslides, flash floods, droughts, tornadoes, and coastal storms. These impacts disproportionately affect communities, particularly women living in informal settlements, through compounded health risks and rising living costs caused by drought, increasing temperatures, and sea-level rise.

Boby Wahyu Hernawan, Head of the Climate Change and Multilateral Financing Policy Center at the Fiscal Policy Agency of the Ministry of Finance, stated during a Ministry of Finance media briefing (29 May 2024) that without serious adaptation measures, climate change is projected to cost Indonesia up to 2.87% of its GDP annually by 2045.

In his remarks, Handoko Ngadiman, National Director of Habitat for Humanity Indonesia, emphasized:
“For the Habitat for Humanity family, climate-resilient housing is no longer a choice—it is a necessity. The government’s program to build three million houses per year presents a strategic opportunity to embed resilience principles and climate-adaptive design into national policy. At the same time, we recognize the critical importance of inclusive and flexible financing schemes—such as microfinance and incremental housing upgrades—so that low-income families, female-headed households, and vulnerable groups are not left behind. Inclusive financing is also essential to support climate-adaptive home improvements.”

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Strategic Collaboration and Policy Alignment

The workshop, moderated by Dr. Saut Sagala (Global Resilience Specialist at RDI and Associate Professor at the Bandung Institute of Technology/ITB), brought together experts from various institutions to align climate adaptation policies. Based on the collective brainstorming, the workshop identified several Key Findings:

• Climate resilience in the housing sector has been mandated within the RPJPN–RPJMN framework and is interconnected with water, sanitation, and spatial planning sectors, extending down to the household level.
• Implementation at the ground level remains inconsistent, despite housing being a core component of the national adaptation agenda.
• Locally driven “passive cooling” designs—such as those developed through studies in Wunung Village, Gunungkidul Regency—have proven effective in improving indoor air quality and thermal comfort.

Ira Lubis, ST., MIDP, Coordinator for the Housing Sector at the Ministry of National Development Planning (Kementerian PPN/Bappenas), underscored the importance of policy integration, stating:
“The national housing development program represents a unique opportunity to integrate climate-adaptive design into government policy. We must ensure the presence of enabling frameworks and regulations that support affordability for low-income communities, so that the target of providing adequate and resilient housing by 2030 can be achieved.”

Khairunnisa Destyany Qatrunnada, S.Si., Expert Staff of the Directorate of Climate Change Adaptation representing the Director of Climate Change Adaptation at the Ministry of Environment, added on mitigation and adaptation aspects:
“Adapting buildings to climate change and reducing emissions are mutually reinforcing objectives. We support technical measures such as the use of low-carbon materials and improved drainage systems to maintain community cohesion by enabling people to remain in their original locations.”

In addition, Prof. Ir. Suparwoko, MURP., Ph.D. (Universitas Islam Indonesia), highlighted the importance of contextual and practical technical guidelines for climate-adaptive housing tailored to low-income communities.

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Financing Ecosystems and the Circular Economy

The workshop also explored financial innovation with Tadianto Slamet Saputro from Komida, who emphasized the importance of designing resilience indicators in a phased manner to ensure that housing upgrades remain affordable for low-income communities. Meanwhile, Novita Tan, Co-founder and CEO of Rebricks, presented the potential of circular economy approaches in the construction sector to reduce climate risks while simultaneously stimulating local economic activity.

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Key Workshop Recommendations

As an outcome of the in-depth discussions, Habitat for Humanity Indonesia summarized the following recommendations:

• Evidence-Based Approaches: Prioritizing evidence-based design through pre- and post-intervention measurements in low-income housing programs.
• Community Inclusion: Prioritizing interventions that utilize local materials and strengthen the capacity of local builders through targeted training.
• Pilot Projects: Implementing pilot studies to test the effectiveness of technical guidelines across diverse regions, particularly in disaster-prone areas.

Habitat for Humanity Indonesia hopes that the outcomes of this workshop will serve as a foundation for long-term collaboration through Public–Private Partnership (PPP) schemes to realize climate-resilient housing for Indonesia’s future.

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Sibolga, December 12, 2025 – More than two weeks after flash floods and landslides struck several regions in Sumatra, tens of thousands of families are still in difficult conditions. Over 157,800 houses are damaged, and hundreds of thousands of residents are still displaced (BNPB, December 12, 2025). In many locations, residents cannot return due to unsafe environmental conditions and homes destroyed by landslide debris. 

In Sibolga City, North Sumatra, the damage impact is also extensive. According to the Sibolga City BPBD (Regional Disaster Management Agency) report as of December 12, 2025, at least 7,276 people are displaced, while 665 houseshave sustained damage—ranging from light, moderate, to heavy. This situation has made the need for shelter, sanitation, and access to clean water increasingly urgent, especially in areas near hillsides and riverbanks. 

Assessment in the Worst-Affected Locations 

Since December 10, 2025, the Habitat for Humanity Indonesia team has been in Sibolga conducting a rapid assessmentto map the urgent needs of the community, especially regarding safe and decent housing. The initial data collection focused primarily on the areas with the most severe damage, namely North Sibolga District, covering the villages of Simare Mare, Angin Nauli, and Huta Tonga Tonga. 

In Simare Mare Village, the team found dozens of houses destroyed by flash floods and landslides of wood and rock materials from the hill. Many families had to leave their homes without having time to save any of their belongings. 

Riang (43), one of the survivors currently displaced in the Bank Indonesia building, described the moments the disaster occurred. “It was raining heavily all day, and the power was out. Around half past midnight, I heard the roar of rocks. Right then, we ran down, not able to save anything. My house was destroyed…,” she recounted. 

Damage also occurred in Angin Nauli Village, where a few houses stand on the river basin area (DAS) and along the banks of the Aek Doras River. During the flash flood on November 25, 2025, mud, rock, and wood materials swept through the area and triggered waves of water from the hills down to the lowlands. Houses sustained varied damage, from light to moderate. 

Deep sorrow was also felt by residents of Huta Tonga Tonga Village. A total of 71 families were affected, and 51 housessuffered heavy damage after sand material 1.5–2 meters high entered and buried the inside of their homes. 

Ronald (55), one resident who chose to stay in his house, which is almost completely covered in sand, told the Habitat for Humanity Indonesia team, “I sleep on the remaining mattress that is almost touching the roof. I stay because I want to guard the house, afraid of looting. But every day the sand keeps rising… this house is almost buried.” 

The stories of the survivors illustrate the immense need for home recovery assistance and environmental cleanup in Sibolga. 

Habitat Indonesia Prepares Two-Year Intervention for Sibolga Recovery 

Based on the assessment results and coordination on the ground, Habitat for Humanity Indonesia plans a two-year recovery intervention in Sibolga City and its surrounding areas. 

In the first year, Habitat Indonesia will focus on emergency support and basic repairs for affected families, including: 

• Distribution of shelter kits for 500 families 
• Support for rubble removal equipment/assistance to help clear landslide debris 
• Repairing 500 houses with structural strengthening (retrofitting) 
• Restoration of sanitation and clean water access (WASH) 
• WASH and Build Back Safer training for the community 

In the second year, Habitat Indonesia will rebuild 300safe and decent homes on an area-based approach for affected families, using better resilience standards to minimize disaster risk in the future. 

This effort is a form of Habitat Indonesia’s commitment to help survivors regain a safe, decent, and dignified place to live. 

#Bersama, Bangun Sumatera

In these difficult times, support from various parties is highly meaningful. Habitat for Humanity Indonesia invites the public from various sectors—individuals, corporations, and partners—to participate in the recovery and rebuilding process for the lives of families affected by the disaster in Sibolga. 

For Habitat Friends who wish to participate in this humanitarian mission, donations can be channeled through BCA: 210-3002-958 (Habitat Kemanusiaan Ind Yay). More complete information can be found on the flyer below. 

Photo/Writer: HFHI/Kevin Herbian

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Gresik, December 11, 2025 – Habitat for Humanity Indonesia and Pakuwon Group continue their shared commitment to creating real impact for communities, particularly in reducing the number of families—currently in the millions—who still live in inadequate housing. 

This effort is strengthened through Pakuwon Group’s CSR program, which this year is directed toward building 21 decent housing units in Campurejo Village, Panceng District, Gresik Regency. The construction was officially launched with a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday (4/12). 

On this occasion, the Regent of Gresik, represented by the Regent’s Expert Staff for Physical Infrastructure, Johar Gunawan, expressed appreciation and full support for the synergy built through this program. He emphasized that improving settlement quality is a key priority for the Gresik Regency Government. 

According to data from the Office of Cipta Karya, Housing, and Settlement Areas, as well as Bappeda, there are 145 housing units targeted for quality improvement and 90 new housing units built as relocation sites for residents from village-owned land. 

“Of these 90 units, 69 are funded by the government, and 21 are facilitated through the CSR initiative of Pakuwon Group in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity Indonesia. We deeply appreciate this collaboration and hope that the beneficiary families will take good care of the homes built for them,” said Johar Gunawan. 

Similar support was expressed by Habitat for Humanity Indonesia through Abraham Tulung, Resource Development General Manager. He emphasized that this program is part of Habitat Indonesia’s long-term mission to build better lives for low-income families. 

“Habitat for Humanity Indonesia has been present for more than 10 years, building decent homes, providing access to clean water, and developing community centers and sanitation facilities for families in the bottom income deciles 1 and 2,” he said. 

Saibun Wijaya, Director of Pakuwon Group, also highlighted the importance of safe housing as a foundation for families to thrive. “The houses we build together with Habitat Indonesia are expected to help homeowners plan for their future and open new opportunities for them,” he stated. 

This collaboration is a tangible example of how the private sector, nonprofit organizations, and local government can work hand in hand to deliver sustainable housing solutions. With the construction of these 21 decent housing units, Campurejo Village not only receives new infrastructure but also new opportunities for its residents to begin their journey toward a safer, healthier, and more dignified life. 

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Jakarta, 8 December 2025 – PropCon Golf Club once again held its annual tournament, the 17th Interdesign PropCon Not Another End of Year Golf Tournament 2025, successfully hosted on Saturday, 6 December 2025, at Damai Indah Golf – BSD Course. The event served not only as a gathering space for golfers from various backgrounds but also as a platform for collaboration to create social impact.

For the second time, PropCon Golf Club partnered with Habitat for Humanity Indonesia as its charity partner, reaffirming its commitment to supporting access to proper sanitation and education. Through this tournament, a total of IDR 103,000,000 was raised.

The funds collected will be allocated to support the renovation of five school toilet units and the construction of one new toilet unit at MTs–MA Batamiyah in Batam, aimed at creating a healthier and safer learning environment for students.

“We believe that sports can be a bridge for collaboration as well as a means of sharing. Through this tournament, we hope to create tangible impact that can be directly felt by those in need,” said Mr. Desmond Kandiawan, Chairperson of PropCon Golf Club.

Meanwhile, Habitat for Humanity Indonesia expressed gratitude for the continued trust and collaboration. “It is an honor for Habitat Indonesia to once again be chosen as a charity partner by PropCon Golf Club. Their support plays an important role in our efforts to ensure that schools have proper sanitation facilities. From the golf course, hope is built together,” said Abraham Tulung, Resource Development General Manager of Habitat for Humanity Indonesia.

The tournament took place in a competitive yet warm and friendly atmosphere, reflecting the spirit of togetherness among participants. More than just a year-end event, it served as a reminder that collaboration can bring about positive change for the future of Indonesia’s younger generation.

Watch the video below to see how the collaboration between Habitat for Humanity Indonesia and PropCon Golf Club has created a real impact for two schools in Karawang and Gresik in the previous program:

Video: HFHI/Budi Ariyanto

Writer: Syefira Salsabilla

(ia/kh)

Sleman, November 21, 2025 — Habitat for Humanity Indonesia, in collaboration with PT Centratama Group, has reaffirmed its commitment to improving educational literacy in Indonesia through the development of a digital library at SMP Negeri 1 Pakem, Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta. This initiative demonstrates that inclusive and modern education can be realized through the synergy between the private sector and social organizations. 

The facility was officially inaugurated through a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by the Deputy Regent of Sleman, Danang Maharsa; Chief Finance Officer of PT Centratama Group, Caba Pinter; National Director of Habitat for Humanity Indonesia, Handoko Ngadiman; as well as the teaching staff of SMPN 1 Pakem. 

This program not only constructed a new library space but also carried out a full renovation, including structural work, mural painting, and the provision of supporting facilities such as carpets, study tables and chairs, sofas, an LED TV, a sound system, air conditioners, computers, and various other furnishings. All these components were designed to create a more comfortable and modern learning environment. 

PT Centratama Group also ensured that technology became a key element in this transformation. The company contributed by installing software and providing training on the use of Edoo, a digital library platform offering more than 1,000 e-books from various categories. Handoko Ngadiman explained, “In the past 10 years, SMPN 1 Pakem only received 1,000 printed books, but within these three weeks the students already have access to 487 e-books with 709 copies. We hope this can further strengthen the positive impact on students, especially in the area of literacy.” 

Read also: Digital Reading Corner: Enriching Learning Opportunities Together

From Centratama’s side, Caba Pinter emphasized that this program is part of the company’s long-term commitment to strengthening technology-based education in Indonesia. “This program is part of our corporate social responsibility. We believe that digital literacy is an essential foundation for the future, and through this facility we want to ensure that students have broad access to modern learning resources,” he said. 

The Deputy Regent of Sleman, Danang Maharsa, viewed this initiative as a strategic step in fostering a culture of literacy among students. He stated, “The presence of this digital library not only adds learning facilities but also serves as an important tool to strengthen literacy for our children. My hope is that this facility will be used to its fullest potential. No matter how advanced technology becomes, if it is not utilized, it has no value.” 

With the digital library now in place, students and teachers can access a wide range of reading resources anytime and anywhere through their smartphones. In addition to improving the quality of learning, this facility is expected to support academic achievement and contribute to the school’s accreditation through effective technology integration. 

The Principal of SMPN 1 Pakem, Titin Sumarni, expressed her appreciation to all parties involved. She concluded by saying, “We hope this can enhance our students’ literacy competence and their interest in reading. Evidently, within three weeks of activation and training, 145 digital books have already been accessed. Having a digital library is an extraordinary leap forward.”

Photo & Video: HFHI/Budi Ariyanto

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Jakarta, November 17, 2025 – Some 2.8 billion people around the world still lack adequate housing—a staggering figure that leaves a third of humanity exposed to the mounting hazards of climate change. Governments and housing agencies have spent years launching various efforts and systems to tackle the problem. Yet, despite these efforts, the global housing deficit persists, further strained by rapid urbanization, intensifying disasters, and a warming planet. The task ahead is not merely to build more homes, but to connect the disparate systems meant to deliver them.

Numerous actors, each with their own expertise, have attempted to improve access to decent housing. Yet entrenched practices and siloed approaches often impede the integration of these efforts. Given the sheer scale of housing needs, incremental improvements no longer suffice. Simply constructing housings and planning settlements will not resolve the crisis. The greater challenge lies in shaping the systems that govern how people access housing in the first place. Housing, after all, is not a single system but a complex web of interlocking systems, including markets, institutions, and social norms. If the barriers between these systems can be dismantled, the sector may yet evolve into a more competitive, accessible, and sustainable landscape.

A small step in that direction came last week, when the Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter (TCIS) ran a capacity-building workshop for Habitat for Humanity teams across the Asia-Pacific region. The session—Habitat for Humanity Indonesia was happy to host this event—introduced participants to systems thinking, human-centered design, and market-systems development. The lessons were weighty but worthwhile, and participants left more capable of steering housing solutions toward the low-income families that need them most.

We’d like to give a big shout-out to Scott Merrill, Sheldon Yoder, and Al Francis Razon, as well as the rest of the TCIS team, whose deft facilitation transformed complex material into a reflective and collaborative learning experience for their Habitat for Humanity colleagues. If the insights gleaned translate into action, more families across the region may soon find themselves in healthier and more resilient homes.

Writer: Arwin Soelaksono/Program Director Habitat for Humanity Indonesia

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BELEM, Brazil (Nov. 11, 2025) — Habitat for Humanity International examined the Nationally Determined Contribution, or NDC, of 188 countries — which spell out a nation’s public pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate impacts, outlining specific targets and actions to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. Overwhelmingly, these NDCs include minimal or no reference to housing despite the built environment contributing significantly to carbon emissions. 

A new report, Climate Action through Housing and Informal Settlements, released today by Habitat, finds in addition to the lack of commitment to housing, only 11 NDCs reviewed mention informal settlements or slums as a national issue, despite these areas being home to more than 1 billion people.  

Misalignment between commitments and financing is also evident: Countries with strong NDC commitments to housing, such as the Bahamas and Benin, received negligible support through climate-related development finance, while some major recipients of climate finance show weak housing commitments. Costa Rica is a notable exception, aligning both high commitments and high levels of climate-related development finance. Across all regions, financing for informal settlements and slum upgrading remains extremely limited, with only 7% of climate-related development finance directed toward incremental forms of housing. 

The report findings reveal that communities most at risk to the threats of climate change, particularly those in informal settlements, remain underprioritized in both climate policy commitments and development finance.  

“The findings in this report are alarming but unfortunately not surprising,” said Patrick Canagasingham, chief operating officer at Habitat for Humanity International. “Time and time again, we see that those living in informal settlements who are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change are the least supported when it comes to policy and development finance. Habitat for Humanity calls on governments to integrate housing into their NDCs to help ensure climate resilience and security for vulnerable communities around the world.“ 

Key recommendations for policymakers  

To foster climate resilience and emission reductions through housing, Habitat for Humanity urges countries to take action in their upcoming NDC updates. The report highlights several key recommendations, including:  

Governments must integrate housing and informal settlement transformation into NDCs, adaptation plans and disaster risk reduction frameworks, establishing measurable targets and prioritizing locally led interventions. 

Donors and multilaterals should treat housing as a strategic, high-impact investment to achieve climate resilience, scaling proven approaches, improving visibility of development finance toward housing, and aligning support with national climate ambitions. 

Civil society organizations need to play a critical role in monitoring commitments, advocating for inclusive and resilient solutions through housing, and amplifying community-led initiatives that strengthen housing, livelihoods and climate resilience. 

Encouragingly in the report, of the 20 countries that submitted updated NDCs by mid-2025, 16 increased housing-related references, with some adding new commitments on informal settlements and social housing.  

For more information on Habitat for Humanity’s report, Climate Action through Housing and Informal Settlements, or COP 30, please visit habitat.org/Habitat-COP30. 

About Habitat for Humanity    

Habitat for Humanity is a movement of people in your local area and around the world, working together to build more prosperous and vibrant communities by making sure everyone has a safe, affordable place to call home.  

Since our founding in 1976 as a Christian organization, together we have helped more than 62 million people globally build their futures on their own terms through access to decent housing. We’ve done that by working alongside people of all walks of life to build, repair and finance their homes, by innovating new ways of building and financing, and by advocating for policies that make constructing and accessing housing easier for everyone. 

Together, we build homes, communities and hope. 

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Gresik, November 7, 2025 – In an effort to strengthen the role of rural youth as agents of change in the digital era, Habitat for Humanity Indonesia, in collaboration with the Department of Communication Science, Faculty of Humanities and Creative Industry, Petra Christian University (UK Petra), held a training program titled Empowering Youth Organizations in Managing Information Based on Local Potential through Social Media in Campurejo Village, Panceng District, Gresik Regency, East Java. 

The event was attended by 20 members of the Campurejo Village Karang Taruna (Youth Organization) and forms part of the Home Equals Habitat for Humanity Project, which focuses on enhancing community capacity in managing public communication and information based on local potential. 

As a youth organization, Karang Taruna plays a strategic role in developing local potential across social, cultural, and economic sectors. However, the challenges of the digital era highlight the need to strengthen skills in effectively utilizing social media. Through this activity, young people were encouraged to creatively and strategically use social media as a tool for local promotion and branding. 

The main speaker, Dr. Inri Inggrit Indrayani, M.Si, Lecturer and Head of Strategic Communication Studies at the Department of Communication Science, UK Petra, together with her team — Vanessa Febriani, Devina Aurelia Cokro, Hendrawan Surya Wijaya, and Michael Juan Ivander Widiarto — provided training on digital communication strategies, creative writing, and content production based on local potential. 

Read also: Youth Pledge Spirit Resonates Through Real Action at 28UILD 2025

The training program was carried out in four phases: preparation and coordination, basic training, implementation, and evaluation for sustainability. In the initial phase, Habitat for Humanity and UK Petra teams coordinated with local government officials and community leaders to map out local potential that could be developed into digital content. Participants then received training on managing social media accounts aimed at promoting the village’s unique features, including local MSME products, cultural activities, and tourism attractions. 

Dr. Inri explained that improving digital capacity among rural youth is a key step toward fostering independence and community-based development. 

“We want young people to understand that social media can serve as a strategic tool to build a positive image of their community, not just a place for daily sharing. With strong digital skills, they can actively promote local potential, expand networks, and inspire a wider audience,” she said. 

Through this activity, Karang Taruna members are expected to consistently and creatively manage the village’s official social media accounts. These platforms will serve as the main channels for spreading positive information and encouraging community participation in local development. 

The program also aims to build confidence and a sense of pride among the youth of Campurejo Village in their own local potential. Strengthening digital literacy marks an important step toward creating a more empowered and adaptive village community, equipped with a strong digital identity in the modern era. 

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