rooftops canada - 3013.pdf · program update abri international 5 for affordable housing finance in...

P ro g r a m U P d at e abri International 1

Rooftops Canada

Abri internationalBuilding Homes and Communities Since 1984!

Program Report2013

2 rooftops Canada P ro g r a m U P d at e

Mary Mathenge, CEO of the National Cooperative Housing Union of Kenya (NACHU), and Jo Ferris-Davis, President of Rooftops Canada, on the construction site of the Faith Foundation Housing Co-op near Nairobi.

Step-by-step housing under construction in Zimbabwe

Cover photo: Ngalawa Housing Cooperative members in front of their homes currentlyunder construction in Mavoko Municipality, Kenya.


FROM THE ROOFTOPS

Rooftops Canada focuses on sub-

Saharan Africa, the world’s most

rapidly urbanizing region. About 2.4

million new urban families need hous-

ing every year and there is an enormous

housing backlog. Most urban residents in

the region live in slums.

Our partners in Kenya, Tanzania and

Zimbabwe are meeting this challenge by

rapidly expanding their housing micro-

finance programs. Thousands of families

are accessing small loans to acquire land

and build houses room by room. A new

partnership with UK-based Homeless

International has resulted in significant

new investments. In South Africa, our

innovative social housing partners are

providing well-located rental housing to

40,000 families. All these experiences

are demonstrating the way forward.

We are very appreciative of our five-

especially for women, children and

people living with AIDS.

We are proud of the contribution

made by our volunteers through hosting

visitors, providing technical support to

our partners and educating Canadians

about international development. We

would also like to thank our past Board

members Mike Alsop, Martine Hubert,

Hugh Landry, Menno Peters, Amanda

Shaughnessy and Nick Volk for their

invaluable contributions.

This new short, incisive Program

Report is part of our shift to a stronger

online presence. We encourage you to

subscribe to our regular e-bulletin and

social media channels. And please visit

our website, which has many program

reports and our detailed annual financial

statements: www.rooftops.ca

year, $5-million partnership with the

Government of Canada through the

Canadian International Development

Agency (CIDA) that started in 2011.

It enables us to work with our African

partners to build homes and sustain-

able communities while contributing to

economic growth in the region.

An exchange program between

Nairobi, Cape Town and Toronto has

led to a new program on urban food

security, urban agriculture and housing.

It is helping urban poor families improve

their nutrition and incomes.

In 2012, Rooftops Canada and its

partners achieved a breakthrough when

leaders from UNAIDS and other major

institutions agreed to place decent and

affordable housing on the global agenda

to end AIDS. This recognizes the critical

link between housing and health –

n Jo Ferris-Davis, President n Barry Pinsky, Executive Director


Housing microfinance pilot programs

with African and international

partners are assisting thousands of low-

income families who cannot afford to

buy complete houses to acquire land, in-

stall basic services and improve or build

houses step by step. These programs are

also creating jobs, generating income

and stimulating economic growth.

Program support, technical assistance

and new partnerships are helping build

the capacity needed to provide housing

by Homeless International, a UK-based

organization.

In Tanzania, WAT Human Settlements

Trust, led by its new CEO Judith Sando,

has leapt ahead by securing capital and

land, and is growing its capacity to pro-

vide housing support services. A total of

821 land and incremental housing loans

microfinance and housing support ser-

vices at each step in the housing process.

In September 2012, the National

Cooperative Housing Union of Kenya

had an active portfolio of over 530 hous-

ing loans worth $4.19 million – a 292

percent increase over two years. These

loans are anchored by $3.1 million in

member savings. Loans and guarantees

provided by Rooftops Canada, CIDA and

the Co-operative Housing Federation of

Canada led to significant investments

Housing Microfinance – Leveraging Economic Growth

Kuyasa call centre staff with Rooftops Canada intern Marcia Davidson.


for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa,

in Johannesburg. Over the next three

years, Rooftops Canada will deepen and

extend the three pilot programs and

establish new pro-poor housing finance

and development partnerships in the

region.

Special thanks are due to the

Rooftops Canada core team of hous-

ing microfinance and housing support

services technical advisors Jamie Ritchie,

Eliza Moore and Patricia Sibley, and to

Carl Evers and the many young profes-

sionals who have worked with the hous-

ing microfinance program partners. n

were issued between April 2011 and

September 2012.

Member co-ops of the Zimbabwe

National Association of Housing Co-

operatives have built 236 core houses

and are on track to construct 40 houses

per month. Youth have been trained and

are earning incomes from brick-making

and construction.

In South Africa, the Kuyasa Fund

continues to be a regional leader. It has

provided over 31,000 loans to help low-

income households improve their hous-

ing. Rooftops Canada has helped Kuyasa

grow and streamline its operations.

A strategic stakeholder workshop and

seven country consultations resulted

in the African Housing Microfinance

Initiative to promote the concept and

build capacity in the region. It is hosted

by Rooftops Canada’s partner, the Centre Microfinance for room-by-room housing creates jobs and incomes.

Core house under construction in Zimbabwe.


ing with many partners to develop a

municipal food course which will help

local officials work together and with

community partners. These include the

City of Cape Town, Ryerson University

and the University of Cape Town. Special

thanks are due to the food strategy team

at Toronto Public Health. n

the process – the need for a supportive

enabling environment for urban food

activities and the challenge of integrating

youth to create employment.

The three-year pilot also led to a

sharper focus on urban food security,

urban agriculture and housing spaces.

Ongoing programming will support

the integration of broader food systems

thinking into urban food pro-

duction, processing and sales

both in green field housing

projects and in slum upgrad-

ing. This will stimulate local

economic growth and build

more resilient communities.

Program resources will also be

shared with housing partners

in Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

Rooftops Canada and

Mazingira Institute are work-

IN 2010 Rooftops Canada and

its Kenyan partner, Mazingira

Institute, initiated a pilot exchange

program on urban agriculture between

Nairobi, Cape Town and Toronto. Visits

and workshops in the three cities in-

volved dozens of local organizations,

universities and municipal government

departments. A youth-focused exchange

in Nairobi promoted skills

development and entrepre-

neurship. The program also

reflected the importance of

gardens for building com-

munity in South African and

Canadian social housing.

Interns and technical advi-

sors helped document local

practices and develop re-

source materials. Two impor-

tant themes emerged from

Urban Food Security, Urban Agriculture and Housing Spaces

Training young urban farmers at Mazingira Institute, Nairobi.

Urban famers use every bit of space around the house.


consultant, spent a demand-

ing but exciting three weeks in

South Africa contributing his

expertise in social housing and

public and private sector partner-

ships to large stakeholder work-

shops in Cape Town, Pretoria

and Johannesburg. The Ontario

Non-Profit Housing Association

has shared resources and hosted

a NASHO representative at its

annual provider forums. Several

young Canadian professionals have

worked with NASHO and its affiliates.

Rooftops Canada is also contribut-

ing to sector governance. Both the

Agency for Co-operative Housing and

the Housing Services Corporation in

Ontario are sharing experiences with the

South African Social Housing Regulatory

Agency to enhance its regulatory and

Rooftops Canada continues to sup-

port the social housing sector in

South Africa through its partnership

with the National Association of Social

Housing Organizations (NASHO).

NASHO represents 18 social housing in-

stitutions that provide non-profit rental

housing to serve some 40,000 low-in-

come households.

This partnership revolves around

themes central to both South African

and Canadian social housing actors:

community development in social hous-

ing, the role of social housing in urban

regeneration, “greening” social housing,

and managing housing assets.

Toronto Community Housing has

played an active role in hosting visitors

from NASHO and working with NASHO

members over the past two years. In

2012, Mark Guslits, a Toronto-based

Strengthening the Social Housing Sector in South Africa

Toronto Community Housing’s Carmen Smith (second from right) shared community development strategies with Communicare in Cape Town.

support role. A 2012 workshop in

Johannesburg emphasized the impor-

tance of government and social housing

actors working together to provide well-

located affordable rental housing.

(continued next page)


NACHU youth raise awareness about HIV/AIDS prevention methods and help with de-stigmatization issues.

NASHO’s Executive Director

Malcolm McCarthy says of the

partnership, “We look forward

to deepening and expanding our

cooperation with the Canadian

social housing sector to include

long-term financing, special

needs housing, and building sec-

tor leadership for the future.” n

Social Housing in South Africa (continued)

Johannesburg Housing Company built its own training wall for building superintendents after seeing one in Toronto.


Conference in Washington DC in July

2012. Leaders from UNAIDS and other

major institutions agreed to place hous-

ing security on the global agenda to end

AIDS – an important victory on the road

to an AIDS-free world. n

HIV and AIDS support groups in district

co-op housing unions. NACHU in Kenya

works with commercial sex workers,

and its new “Build and Live” curriculum

encourages responses to HIV among

co-op housing youth and women. MES

is implementing programs for home-

less people living with HIV and AIDS in

Johannesburg’s inner city. In Cameroon,

CONGEH continues to promote women’s

property and inheritance rights in the

context of HIV and AIDS through a

strengthened network of community

spaces. And, in Tanzania, WAT has a new

HIV and AIDS policy.

Working with Canadian and US

networks, Rooftops Canada continues

to raise the profile of HIV, AIDS and

housing at the global and regional levels.

After a decade’s work, there was a wel-

come breakthrough at the World AIDS

HIV and AIDS remains an ur-

gent issue in sub-Saharan

Africa, especially among women and

children living in urban slums where

HIV prevalence is almost twice that of

rural areas.

Rooftops Canada and its African

housing partners have been responding

to the impact of HIV and AIDS on their

members, clients and staff since 2002.

Training of peer educators has reduced

stigma and discrimination in housing

groups. Community-driven projects have

improved food security and enhanced

the livelihoods of housing co-op mem-

bers living with HIV. Targeted financial

support, exchange visits and technical

assistance by Canadian HIV and AIDS

specialists have helped partners develop

policies and deliver programs.

In Zimbabwe, ZINAHCO established

HIV, AIDS and Housing: A Breakthrough

Improved housing and services reduce the chances of opportunistic infection.

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Richard Gillies (former intern) discussing housing designs with a WAT loan recipient in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Spencer Fowlie (former intern), left, with community gardeners in Cape Town, South Africa.


are part of its program with CIDA’s

Partnerships with Canadians Branch and

will not be funded by IYIP. n

tecture, law, engineering, finance and

international development.

Interns also benefit enormously from

the program. Margaret Sider, a Rooftops

Canada intern placed with Tlholego

Ecovillage and Learning Centre in South

Africa, said:

“During my time at Tlholego, I learned

an incredible amount about permaculture.

I also assisted Tlholego to create promo-

tional brochures and increase their online

visibility. In addition, I made contact

with Food and Trees for Africa, one of

the leading organizations working in

Johannesburg to promote permaculture. I

will be volunteering with them part-time in

2013, organizing and marketing the next

permaculture design course.”

In 2013, Rooftops Canada will host

several internships to support our African

partner organizations. These placements

Rooftops Canada has participated

in the Canadian International

Development Agency’s (CIDA)

International Youth Internship Program

(IYIP) since 1997. Rooftops Canada

placed 47 young professionals with 19

overseas partners in nine countries be-

tween 2009 and 2012.

These internships respond to the

needs of our overseas partners. Interns

have helped develop low-cost and spe-

cial needs housing, increase the avail-

ability of housing microfinance, engage

in housing and land rights research and

policy dialogue, develop HIV, gender and

shelter training modules, and strength-

en global shelter networks. Thirty-eight

of the internships were in sub-Saharan

Africa, contributing to CIDA’s goal of

doubling aid to the region. Their pro-

fessional backgrounds included archi-

International Youth Internship Program

Leah Farmer, a 2012 Rooftops intern, worked with CONGEH members in Cameroon.


Rooftops Canada study and exchange visits benefit African

and Canadian housing organizations. They develop ca-

pacity, promote information sharing and increase understand-

ing of global settlement issues.

In June 2010 and June 2012, four Zimbabwean and two

Kenyan housing cooperators and one WAT Board member

from Tanzania were hosted by social and co-op housing groups

in eight cities across Canada. They attended the 2010 CHRA

Congress and two CHF Canada AGMs, helping Canadians cel-

ebrate the 2012 International Year of Cooperatives.

Here are some thoughts from our African visitors:

“ I am impressed by how Canadian housing groups combine their annual meetings with training workshops for members and staff. This is something we are definitely taking back with us.”

Mike Duru, Chairperson, ZINAHCO

“I have learnt a lot about housing co-operatives… I also learnt about ongoing research on urban farming and food security… The knowledge will enrich my teaching on development studies.”

Professor Bertha Koda, University of Dar es Salaam

“ I am taking home excellent ideas on planning through commit-tees, youth scholarships and engagement, volunteering, com-munity building, documentation and knowledge-sharing.”

Shem Wachira, NACHU, Kenya

Africans and Canadians Share Homes and Strategies

2012 study visitors from Canada at a housing co-op in Nairobi, Kenya.


“ We were incredibly impressed with the achievements of Rooftops Canada’s African partners. Excellent leadership and their entrepreneurial and practical approach are keys to their success.”

Kaye Melliship, BCNPHA

IN July 2010 and June 2012 repre-

sentatives of Canadian housing

groups visited the National Association

of Social Housing Organizations and the

Social Housing Regulatory Agency in

South Africa, the National Cooperative

Housing Union and Mazingira Institute

in Kenya, and WAT in Tanzania.

Here is what Canadians said about

their experiences:

“ Seeing things first hand has renewed my support and commitment. We met with many people involved in housing, includ-ing UN Habitat, government officials and grassroots activists.”

Mark Aston, ONPHA

“ Rooftops Canada’s partners are doing important housing work on the ground where it matters. I am proud that the co-op housing movement in Canada has been part of this great work.”

Scott Jackson, CHF Canada

National and provincial housing officials and Social Housing Regulatory Agency staff from South Africa, visiting the Fred Victor Centre in Toronto.


Our SupportersRooftops Canada greatly appreciates the

steadfast support of its six Canadian part-

ners, the Co-operative Housing Federation

of Canada, the Canadian Housing and

Renewal Association, the Ontario, British

Columbia and New Brunswick Non-

Profit Housing Associations, and the

Confédération québécoise des coopéra-

tives d’habitation. These organizations

provide policy direction, financial and

in-kind support to Rooftops Canada.

Rooftops Canada would also like to

thank Toronto Community Housing,

Housing Services Corporation, and

WoodGreen Community Services, who

have generously shared their experiences

with social housing groups in Africa.

Rooftops Canada is also grateful for

ongoing and substantial support from

the Government of Canada though

the Canadian Agency for International

Development (CIDA).

Rooftops Canada International Service Award Congratulations to Keegano Housing

Co-op in Edmonton, Coopérative

d’habitation Voisins in Ottawa and St.

Charles Co-operative Homes in Welland

– winners of the 2010, 2011 and 2012

Rooftops Canada International Service

Awards. The award recognizes members

of the Co-operative Housing Federation

of Canada for their outstanding contri-

bution to international development. n

Our Donors Rooftops Canada would like to thank all

of our donors and volunteers for their

assistance and encouragement. Special

thanks to the 72 fundraising volun-

teers who helped generate funds for

the Tanzania and Zimbabwe “Building

Homes, Building Lives” fundraising cam-

paigns and the 2012 young professionals

who fundraised to complement CIDA

funding for the internship program. Our

work overseas also benefited from the

support of over 200 Canadian organiza-

tions and numerous project co-sponsors

– we thank you all! Please see our web-

site for a complete list of supporters.

Linda Sutch, left, president of St. Charles Co-operative Homes (Welland), receiving the 2012 award from Céline Carrière (Rooftops Canada Board) for an outstanding contribution to international development.


Financial Report

Revenues 2011-2012 2010-2011

Donations $ 165,834.00 $ 233,885.00

CIDA $ 1,233,514.00 $ 1,266,735.00

Other $ 99,016.00 $ 126,754.00

Total Revenues $ 1,498,364.00 $ 1,627,374.00

Expenses Overseas Program $ 1,380,119.00 $ 1,457,075.00

Education Program $ 50,444.00 $ 112,711.00

Fundraising $ 52,055.00 $ 40,619.00

Operations/Net $ 69,684.00 $ 69,662.00

Total Expenses $ 1,552,302.00 $ 1,680,067.00

Operating Surplus $ – 53,938.00 $ 52,693.00

Operating Fund $ 227,570.00 $ 281,508.00

Laura Gamez, Rooftops Canada intern, helped NACHU with communications and marketing.

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Rooftops Canada720 Spadina Avenue, Suite 313 Toronto, ON Canada M5S 2T9Tel: +416 366-1445 Fax: +416-366-3876 [email protected] www.rooftops.ca

Abri internationalCP 67023 Lemoyne Saint-Lambert QC Canada J4R 2T8 Tél: +450 671-1245 Téléc: +450 [email protected] www.abri.ca

Rooftops Canada – Abri international is the international development program of the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada; the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association; the Ontario, New Brunswick and British Columbia Non-Profit Housing Associations; and la Confédération québécoise des cooperatives d’habitation.

Cette mise à jour du programme est également disponible en français. Veuillez en faire la demande à [email protected]

www.rooftops.ca

rooftops canada - 3013.pdf · program update abri international 5 for affordable housing finance in...

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