HABITAT FOR HUMANITY’S PROJECT TO OFFER HOUSING SOLUTIONS FOR THE POOR
Habitat for Humanity Kenya is supporting the vulnerable households in Homa Bay County to establish 2 bed-roomed residential houses that cost Kshs 800,000 per house targeting a total of 120 vulnerable households. The program entitled, “Homa Bay County Vulnerable Group Housing Project” will consume a total of Kshs. 96 million in the next five years.
During house construction, the community does not provide any funding except their sweat equity through provision of labor and locally available materials. The materials used include; water, stones, stabilizing soil blocks (Makiga bricks), corrugated iron sheets, burglar-proof doors and fabricated windows, where applicable.
The project also provides water solutions as a package to the project. The water projects that have already been done include, Mirogi primary school and a bore-hole in Nyakarombe primary school. Besides, the organization has supported Mirogi dispensary with solar lighting system to address energy deficit at the facility.
Recently the head of Programs at Habitat for Humanity Kenya, Mr. Julius Coredo, held a meeting with the Chief Officer of the Department of Lands, Housing, Urban Development and Physical Planning of Homa Bay County, Mr. George Opiata Ogada. The purpose of the meeting was to address barriers and challenges affecting access to housing in Homa Bay County. These include poverty and limited livelihood opportunities, as well as Land tenure system barriers which the organization, in partnership with the government of Homa Bay county now intends to address by facilitating surveys, land sub-division (where necessary), Land succession and adjudication process and most importantly ensuring that each land owner within the project locations are issued with valid title deeds.
The 1st phase of the housing construction has been concluded in Ndhiwa (Kosewe, Nyamweya, Ramoya), Kabuoch (Pala, Buche and Obera), Rangwe (Gangre, Osamira, Kotora, Wikoteng’, Randung’, Nyawawa, God Marera, Orero, Sinogo, Kajulu & Kotara) and in Mbita (Nduru, Wanga ‘B’ and Gera). In this phase, Habitat for Humanity Kenya in partnership with the County government of Homa Bay constructed 18 houses in 2017 for the vulnerable households.
Beside the housing, water and solar projects, the organization is in the process of designing and implementing alternative livelihoods for youths currently making bricks, which is detrimental to the environment through utilization of the existing National and county Government Appropriate Building Technology Centres (ABT) in Rangwe and Ndhiwa.
In February 2018, HFHK Chairman Mr. Koome Kiragu will pay a visit to Homa Bay County to discuss issues among others; consider expanding support beyond housing and land ownership that will culminate into signing of a MoU between the county government of Homa Bay and HFHK indicating further areas of collaboration and partnership.
These will include, development and enactment of Housing and land security policy, adequate decent houses for vulnerable groups, issuance of land title deeds to all vulnerable households in Rangwe, Ndhiwa and Mbita, Training of 750 community members on appropriate and cost effective building technologies and alternative livelihoods in the next 5 years, supporting the county government of Homa bay to actively participate on global human settlement events such as World Habitat Day and with communities in both urban and rural areas to participate in the National Government 1-million affordable Housing program over the next 5 years.
In overall, the partnership will ensure effective and active participation of the county government and the communities of Homa Bay become a strong partner of Habitat for Humanity Global Volunteer Activities starting from 2018.