Property in Kenya. [Photo/content.knightfrank.com]
Habitat, an NGO which works with low-income earners in Kenya has identified three challenges to home ownership: Shortage of quality housing units, affordability, and access to own land.
Torre Nelson, area vice president, Habitat for Humanity Europe, Middle East and Africa said the problem is deepened by ambiguous property rights and laws that constrain conventional ways of financing shelter.
“Most of the rural residents own their houses but most homes are constructed using wood or mud,” said Cyrus Watuku, Director, Habitat for Humanity Europe, Middle East, and Africa.
About 35 percent of this population live in single-room houses, with three to four people sharing a room, he added during a recent function hosted by Habitat for stakeholders.
Habitat says 1,500 substandard houses are built in rural Kenya each week, mostly made of wood or mud.
This compounds the housing problem for close to 20 million Kenyans living below the poverty line.
“Mortgage markets in the region remain small limiting access to an elite segment of the population,” he said.
Habitat is advocating for a variety of affordable financial products, especially for low- income families.
“We believe that housing microfinance; small affordable loans to build or renovate housing are more helpful in solving housing problems,” he said.
Habitat has also been mobilizing partnerships and bringing people together to find housing solutions.
“We are ready to marshal all stakeholders towards alleviating housing shortages for Kenya’s vulnerable and low-income groups,” Nelson said. Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort on a community farm in the USA.
It has since grown to more than 70 countries, 31 Africa.