Rooftops Canada Abri international

Celebrating 25 Years!Building homes and communities since 1984

…the international development program of cooperative and social housing groups in Canada since 1984

Rooftops Canada Abri international

Our Canadian partners house over 650,000 households…

•The Co-operative

Housing Federation of Canada

•The Canadian Housing and Renewal Association

•The Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association

• The New Brunswick Non-Profit Housing Association

• la Confédération québécoise des coopératives d’habitation

• The British Columbia Non-Profit Housing Association

1.2 Billion people – 1/3 of the global urban population - live in slums. this includes 70% of urban Africans - 225 million people. UN MDGs aim to improve the lives of only 100 million.

The Challenge

Our response

Rooftops Canada partners with housing groups, housing co-ops and credit unions, NGOs, trade unions, governments, international agencies and the private sector to improve housing conditions and build sustainable communities.

Since 1984…• Mobilized over $30 million for projects and

programs with overseas partners. • Helped build local capacity - over 370 technical

advisors in 36 countries. • Supported over 280 visitors to Canada from 21

countries. 

1992: James McGregor

Since 1984…• Pioneering housing-linked responses to HIV and

AIDS with African partners • Leading housing microfinance work in sub-

Saharan Africa • Post-disaster housing programs in Rwanda,

Turkey, the Americas and Indonesia

Rooftops Canada in Tanzania• 1995: Provided support for ongoing land rights campaign, and

early work to design and implement a housing co-op program• 2003: Connected WAT with the Norwegian Federation of

Housing Cooperative Associations leading to collaboration in a basket-funding program

• 2008: Helped with major four year pilot housing microfinance program - funded by the Financial Sector Deepening Trust (FSDT) in Tanzania of which CIDA is a very significant funder.

• Rapid urbanization• Lack of basic services: sanitation & drainage systems,

water• Inadequacy of shelter delivery system/land acquisition• Overcrowding, HIV/AIDS• Shortage of surveyed plots• No housing finance available

Population: 34.44 million Area : 883,600 sq.km.Population living in unplanned settlements: 40 - 75 percent

Tanzania: Housing Situation

• Informal settlements• Supports housing cooperatives• Housing finance to low & middle income women• Advocacy and lobbying

WAT-Human Settlements TrustWAT-Human Settlements Trust

• Development of squatter or unplanned settlements

• Demand (1998) for units of conventional housing 1,500,000 units

• Increased vulnerability to HIV and AIDS• Lack of social services • Un-planned construction

Informal Human SettlementsInformal Human Settlements

“Using a Business Model to Raise Housing Circumstances”

Turning loans to homes…Turning loans to homes…

Makabora Housing Coop Group

Plot in Makabora and house built withincremental housing micro finance.

1st loan, 2004 to buy plot: $802 US

2nd loan 2008 for building 25sq.m: $2,300 US

3rd loan 2009 for extension of home: $920 US

Home of Charles Solomon and FamilyHome of Charles Solomon and Family

Incremental housingmicro finance (HMF)adds a separate “kitchen” and chicken pen

SolomonSolomon’s addition’s addition

Saving to finance adding doors and windows as upgrades

Home of Co-op MemberHome of Co-op Member

Home of saverfor new housing

Current Home of MemberCurrent Home of Member

•Settlement not far frombusiness sector of Dar es Salaam•1st Goal: map the settlement,•2nd Goal: recognition of right to property, •Upgrade homes, buildadditions for income

2008 Government of Tanzania Issues Rights of Occupancy Certificates provided (with cost) to 161 house owners

HannanasifHannanasif

Hannanasif is fortunate to have drainage Ditches with bridges

Everyday Life in HannanasifEveryday Life in Hannanasif

WAT and Rooftops Canada work on strategies toencourage culture of savings and joining the Co-op as well as participation in HMF

Tabitha Siwale and Brad LesterTabitha Siwale and Brad Lester

One room : with her savings and HMF Ceiling has been raised – no longer needs to bend over inside

Window plexiglass,

She tiled her dirt floor with pieces of tile

Smiling and ProudSmiling and Proud

Mrs. Nyakifinanced addingshop space to rent out

Small business- generating incomeSmall business- generating income

Rooftops Canada in Kenya• 1984: First Rooftops Canada partner. NACHU has been a leader

in pioneering HMF in Kenya (with Rooftops Canada support)• 2004: FECHIMM (Quebec Cooperative) loan through Rooftops

Canada to NACHU • 2010: Current HMF loan fund : financed 80 percent from

donations ($335, 000) by international agencies and 20 percent from low cost loans operations

• Lack of basic services: sanitation & drainage systems, water

• Overcrowding, HIV/AIDS

• Population: 36 million • Kibera: world’s second largest slum • 45% of Nairobi's population of 3.5 million people live in slums

Kenya: Housing SituationKenya: Housing Situation

• 30,000 people forced from their homes • Co-op housing burnt to the ground• Water & sanitation systems vandalized • Shelter for HIV and AIDS orphans looted and destroyed

2008: Post-election Violence2008: Post-election Violence

• NACHU encourages a culture of savings; minimum shs 200 per month (equivalent to $3.40 CDN)

• Provides small loans (against savings) that fit the way housing is built by the poor – progressively and over long time periods.

NACHUNACHU

• Improving livelihoods through small business for income toward housing

• Ability to repay loans and work toward the next increased incremental loan

Small Business EnterprisesSmall Business Enterprises

• Co-op housing destroyed or illegally occupied• Loss of sources of livelihood, income and

capital• Cooperative and social fabrics disrupted

Violence hits HomesViolence hits Homes

• Owner of a maize (corn) mill business describes how his business and his home were destroyed in the post election violence except for one grinding machine.

• He has used incremental financing and some help from government to rebuild his home and business

Video: Posho Corn MillVideo: Posho Corn Mill

VideoVideo

Video of ExplanationVideo of Explanation

Co-op memberhas used herco-op membershipand savings to finance her house cementsiding.

She has started aday care to earnmore money to save for her next loan.

Not a SlumNot a Slum

Encouraging members throughco-op member support not to sell upgraded home for quick cash andreturn to the slums

A Challenge for NACHUA Challenge for NACHU

Day Care CourtyardDay Care Courtyard

ScottScott’s Suckers are a Hit: Courtyard day ’s Suckers are a Hit: Courtyard day care children with study visitorscare children with study visitors

NACHU member explains her upgrade of house siding and her plan of the day care for Higher earnings and saving for her next loan.

She cares for about 18 children a day. Todayonly 14!

Board Chair and a Co-op MemberBoard Chair and a Co-op Member

• 1st loan: building with rooms for extended family and rental

• 2nd: “restaurant”

A Swahill House A Swahill House VideoVideo

Through a door of the Swahili house

Extended familyof the co-op member

One room “restaurant”

Inside One of the EntriesInside One of the Entries

• Small scale traders:Used group fund to make permanent investments in land and housing

• Bought land and subdivided among the members for rental income or self housing

• 703 members have allocated plots and 310 have constructed

Naivasha Traders Housing Naivasha Traders Housing Co-operative Society Ltd. Co-operative Society Ltd.

Deputy Mayor: from homelessness to leader of Co-op to politics

Water ProjectWater Project

Initial savings buys a plot and material for 20ft by 10ft home

Out of the SlumsOut of the Slums

• 2004, FECHIMM (Quebec Cooperative)loan through Rooftops Canada, to NACHU, HMF $20,000, interest rate 5%

• NACHU good with the terms of the agreement, never missing a payment.

• 2008, after the post election violence, the co-ops in the Nakuru area had been destroyed, NACHU asked for a break in the payments: granted for about a year. Now the situation is back to normal.

Where Does the Money Come From?Where Does the Money Come From?

• The Rooftops Canada Africa Housing Fund is launching an initial capital target of at least one million dollars with a projected growth several times that amount.

• Cooperative Housing Federation Canada has championed the cause by investing $100,000 to back up the fund.

• Funding sparking interest from local banks to participate – MOU signed in Kenya

How Does All This Happen? ContHow Does All This Happen? Cont’d’d

Award from CHRA on the tableThe organization is proud of awards Received and its international partners

NACHU Awards of ExcellenceNACHU Awards of Excellence

What can Canadian housing groups do?

• Support WAT and NACHU HMF and capacity building and projects through Rooftops Canada

• Stay informed and help inform others – organize an education event

• Visit www.rooftops.ca for more ideas

Tel: 416-366-1445 Fax: 416-366-3876E-mail: thandi@rooftops.caWebsite: www.rooftops.ca

Rooftops Canada/ Abri International720 Spadina Ave, Suite 313Toronto, Ontario M5S 2T9CANADA

Contact Us…Contact Us…

Asante Sana - Thank You