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Case Study: Democratic Republic of Congo
Hydraform is once again on the front line in
the fight against poverty, hunger and joblessness
through an association with the volunteer corps of
the Confédération Syndicale du Congo (CVC), a trade
union confederation, and the Congolese Control
Office. The partnership acquired a plot of some 180ha
in the N’sele municipality just outside Kinshasa, with
the intention of building good-quality social housing
to be purchased by residents.
The initial project plan called for 1 500 homes of three
basic types: three, four or five rooms along with a number
of other buildings such as shops, schools and a hospital.
Construction would be facilitated by the CVC, subsidised by
donor funding with a portion paid by subscribers (or home
owners) through monthly deductions from their salaries.
At the time of going to press, more than 100 houses had
been completed and work was continuing at an increasing
pace in what is being called the village of Benzale. Hydraform
continues to be involved in a technical monitoring role so as
to ensure overall project success.
Tackling a
housing crisis
As has happened elsewhere in Africa, the housing crisis in the
Democratic Republic of Congo has assumed epidemic proportions.
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