With around 81 million inhabitants, Egypt is the most highly populated Arab country, vibrant with life along the mighty Nile River. But in the midst of the hustle and bustle, more than 20 million people are living in substandard housing conditions, with no means of improving their situation. Poverty housing is particularly common in rural areas, where many families live in old mud-brick houses with dirt floors, no doors or windows and inadequate roofs made from thatch, branches or even sugar cane.
These conditions provide little protection from the perils of snakes, insects, intruders, rain or the extreme variations in temperature. The houses are dangerously hot in summer and below freezing temperatures in winter, and people often die from pneumonia. Access to toilets and piped water is limited, creating further health problems. Moreover, large families are often crowded into one- or two-room structures. Some even share their homes with their livestock or poultry.
How Habitat helps
Habitat for Humanity Egypt (HFH Egypt) was founded in 1989 and has constructed or renovated houses that have turned despair into hope for thousands of families in 25 communities who were living in such conditions.
The houses are simple and affordable, yet decent and durable. They are built using appropriate, locally-available building materials that meet specific housing requirements. Houses have cemented or tiled floors, plastered or limestone brick walls, secure wooden roofs and enough rooms to separate parents from children, boys from girls and families from their livestock. The access to clean water and sanitation systems, separation from animals and good ventilation all serve to improve the health of families and their communities.
HFH Egypt partners with the homeowners themselves and with other nongovernmental organizations and community development associations to achieve its goal. By building on their established knowledge and insight to the community and working at the grassroots level, HFH Egypt has experienced tremendous results over recent years and expects the rapid growth to continue.
Highlights
These conditions provide little protection from the perils of snakes, insects, intruders, rain or the extreme variations in temperature. The houses are dangerously hot in summer and below freezing temperatures in winter, and people often die from pneumonia. Access to toilets and piped water is limited, creating further health problems. Moreover, large families are often crowded into one- or two-room structures. Some even share their homes with their livestock or poultry.
How Habitat helps
Habitat for Humanity Egypt (HFH Egypt) was founded in 1989 and has constructed or renovated houses that have turned despair into hope for thousands of families in 25 communities who were living in such conditions.
The houses are simple and affordable, yet decent and durable. They are built using appropriate, locally-available building materials that meet specific housing requirements. Houses have cemented or tiled floors, plastered or limestone brick walls, secure wooden roofs and enough rooms to separate parents from children, boys from girls and families from their livestock. The access to clean water and sanitation systems, separation from animals and good ventilation all serve to improve the health of families and their communities.
HFH Egypt partners with the homeowners themselves and with other nongovernmental organizations and community development associations to achieve its goal. By building on their established knowledge and insight to the community and working at the grassroots level, HFH Egypt has experienced tremendous results over recent years and expects the rapid growth to continue.
Highlights
- In Cairo, HFH Egypt is continuing its work with the garbage collectors. Many families not only live with their livestock, but also with the garbage they sort and recycle. HFH Egypt helps these families build a second floor enabling them to have accommodations separate from their work, improving overall hygiene and health.
- In the governorates of El-Minya and Beni Suef (4 – 5 hours south of Cairo) HFH Egypt is helping to boost the local economy by encouraging homeowners to purchase local construction materials including white limestone from the quarry as well as employing local builders. As a result, many who would have otherwise migrated to seek work elsewhere are able to stay in the community with their families. HFH Egypt continues to expand its work in both of these governorates.
- HFH Egypt is offering construction technical assistance to all of its beneficiaries at no additional cost. The HFH Egypt engineers work very closely with the homeowners in constructing a house that is functional, affordable and healthy. The engineers are regularly on-site throughout the building or renovation process, insuring that a solid home is constructed.
- As a result of rising steel and cement prices, HFH Egypt engineers designed a home with a flat dome roof which cut the cost of the roof by 25% and the overall cost of the home by 17%.
- In addition to its conventional housing projects, HFH Egypt is offering no-profit loans to replace inadequate roofs with wooden ones. This change alone can create a secure home, protect families from the elements and also allow families the opportunity to build a second floor in the future.
No comments:
Post a Comment