Growing diversity and maturity of NGO activities related to the provision of housing finance to the urban poor

This issue of HiFi News demonstrates the growing diversity and maturity of NGO activities related to the provision of housing finance to the urban poor. This issue begins with a discussion between two professionals working in NGOs, Beth Biti from Zimbabwe and Debora Cavalcanti. Their exchange demonstrates the critical importance of local context to the particular nature of any specific intervention. This interview is followed by three reports from Southern Africa. In Zimbabwe, Housing People are establishing an investment trust fund to increase access to capital for housing cooperatives. In South Africa, the uTshani Fund has now given more than 3,200 loans; the Fund is managed by the Federation and capitalized through contributions from the South African government and donor agencies. The third report is from a workshop, earlier this year, which brought together agencies working in Kenya, Senegal, South Africa and Zimbabwe to discuss access for the poor to housing finance.