LUSAKA, Monday, October 3, 2022– Habitat for Humanity Zambia joins the globe in commemorating World Habitat Day under the theme “Mind the Gap. Leave No One and Place Behind”
From 1986, the United Nations designated the first Monday of October of every year as World Habitat Day to reflect on the state of our habitats, and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter. As a global housing ministry, the observance of this day is of paramount importance in view of the magnitude of urban informality that pervades contemporary cities in the Global South, and Zambia is no exception.
The official government statistics indicate a glaring 70% of the country’s urban population resides in informal and unplanned settlements that are characterised by inadequate basic service delivery such as decent housing, security of tenure, WASH, and routine solid waste management. Consequently, the informal settlements are disproportionately affected by the ravaging effects of climate change such as intensified incidences of flooding that leave many vulnerable communities literally homeless.
As Habitat for Humanity Zambia, we are by default cognisant of the need to “mind the gap and leave no one behind” through our People Centred Development Approach that is largely skewed towards informal settlements in Chilanga, Lusaka, Kabwe and Ndola.
In an effort to contribute towards reducing the national housing deficit that is projected at slightly over 1,5 million housing units, we have strategically partnered with local authorities, central government, and the private sector in delivering over 4,000 decent low-cost homes to date under our Vulnerable Group and Orphaned and Vulnerable Children Housing Programs to date.
We have equally ensured that our housing beneficiaries, particularly women, are individually or jointly registered owners of their land and property, thus safeguarding their security of tenure.
Our WASH program has ensured that most women and children in informal settlements have potable water, decent and dignified sanitation, which has benefited more than 40,000 people to date through the construction of 69 water points.
Habitat for Humanity Zambia National Director, Ms Mathabo Makuta commented “Our clarion call during this year’s commemoration of World Habitat Day is for concentrated efforts in People-Public-Private-Partnerships that will provide a balanced mix for igniting accelerated participatory upgrading of informal settlements attuned to the realisation of the far reaching Sustainable Development Goals, the African Union Agenda 2063, Zambia’s National Policies, the Vision 2030, and the recently launched 8th National Development Plan.”
