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Case Study: Africa
Democratic Republic of Congo
As has happened elsewhere in Africa, the housing crisis in the Democratic Republic of
Congo has assumed epidemic proportions.
Tackling a
Housing Crisis
H
ydraform 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.