Habitat for Humanity Cote d` lvoire

Contact information HFH Cote d` lvoire 09 BP 4092 Abidjan 09 Cote d' Ivoire Phone: +225 22429775 Fax: +225 22429770 E-mail: hfhci@habitatci.org         Web site www.habitatci.org				Habitat's work in Cote d` lvoire Number of families served this year*: 85 Full house sponsorship cost: US$6,020 Incremental house sponsorship cost: US$3,010
Country profile

The housing need in Côte d’Ivoire
Among the world’s largest producers and exporters of coffee and palm oil, Côte d’Ivoire once boasted the strongest economy in West Africa. Now, due to a devastating civil war and global economic pressure in 2002, the country contends with extreme poverty, and its exhausted infrastructure struggles to meet the growing needs of the people. In the city of Abidjan alone, the housing deficit is estimated to be 12,000 houses per year. Urbanization is adding to the problem, with almost half of the growing population now living in towns or cities.

In rural areas, the need is also immense. Many people live in temporary structures, which require extensive upkeep and repair and are vulnerable to fire. Walls are typically made of mud in a wooden frame and often crack, causing leaks and eventually falling apart. Thatch-roof houses harbor numerous disease-carrying insects, such as malarial mosquitoes and the tsetse fly, which can spread eye disease.

With so many people living in poverty, substandard housing is an overwhelming challenge. Most families live in traditional homes made of mud walls and thatch roofs or inadequately constructed brick houses. Overcrowding exists in the majority of these houses, and lack of natural light and ventilation are common problems, causing illness and other problems.

Habitat for Humanity in Côte d’Ivoire
Established in 1999, Habitat for Humanity Côte d’Ivoire seeks to break the cycle of poverty by working with homeowners to provide safe, dry and secure homes, with decent sanitation.

HFHCI builds houses using appropriate technology and local building materials. The houses are made of brick and mortar, with corrugated iron roofing sheets. The designs are simple and spacious and cater to the individual families’ needs, while remaining affordable for the homeowners. Houses consist of either two or three bedrooms and a hall. Smaller houses are currently planned, in order to reach families on the lowest income groups.