Empowering people to break poverty.

In 2014, the United Nations estimated that 55% of the world's urban population lived in the Asia-Pacific region. Today, more than 50% of the Asian-Pacific population has become urbanized, with over 1.2 billion people living in urban centers.

Despite marked economic growth in the region, growth has not necessarily reached all - with the urban poor still largely marginalized. There is a drastic shortage of affordable housing in particular. In Malaysia alone (where we started our mission), the World Bank estimates a shortfall over 1 million houses by 2020.

As a result of such inadequate development, these people are still most vulnerable to natural disasters and displacement. Almost three-quarters of global fatalities from natural disasters between 1970 and 2011 occurred in the Asia-Pacific region. The consequent displacement has given rise to increased migration to urban slums, thereby producing a greater demand for adequate housing. 

Asia-Pacific currently holds the world’s largest urban slum populations and the largest concentrations of people living below the poverty line.

Access to affordable, high-quality construction material is often limited in less developed regions, thus making it difficult for conventional technology to be implemented in areas where proper housing is most needed. Fortunately, there is a rising trend and interest in new, environmentally-sustainable construction materials. This allows for the setting-up of local value chains and livelihood creation. Affordable Abodes aims to provide affordable, resilient and sustainable housing solutions for low income families and the poor. 

Tim Tan
Chief Executive Officer