Egypt

Habitat for Humanity International HFHI established a National Office in Egypt, which is dedicated to improving housing conditions of low-income families. Habitat for Humanity Egypt (HFHE) has worked since 1989 to date in forty communities in five governorates in Egypt, most recently its geographical focus has been directed towards Upper Egypt in al-Minya and Bani Suwaif, where there has been a dire need for housing interventions. HFHE has improved the housing conditions of more than 38,000 homeowners in these locations through local strategic partners, who’s role is to select the most vulnerable members within a community. Strategic local partner NGOs work closely with the National Office to provide housing services for vulnerable low-income communities to improve the functionality, quality and safety of their homes.

The housing need in Egypt The housing problem in Egypt increased significantly in the 1960s when a number of laws were issued to reduce housing rents for low-income groups. This had a negative impact on the supply of low-income housing rental units due to the lack of interest from private sector investors. As a result, the housing need intensified in both rural and urban areas in Egypt, with the demand for adequate low-income housing surpassing the supply and affordability of housing units for low-income communities. The housing strategy recently developed in Egypt by the Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities, aims to close this gap by directing its efforts towards providing subsidies or housing units to low-income groups to improve access to adequate housing. Within the light of current national strategies in Egypt, HFHE aims to contribute with its efforts to close this gap further through its Housing Micro-Finance (HMF) programme.

How Habitat addresses the need in Egypt HFHE provides low-income communities with housing services that range from providing HMF loans as well as, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) loans. These loans are offered at premium rates to community members, who would otherwise be unable to secure loans through formal funding opportunities due to their income level. Moreover, HFHE builds capacities and raises awareness of local partners, beneficiaries and local technicians to ensure improved knowledge and practices as well as, the quality of housing interventions funded by HFHE.

HFHE began the poorest of the poor initative as a part of its work in 2006. This initative serves the population that are unable to pay back loans by providing grants for housing improvments. The beneficiaries of this initiative are identified based on a selection criteria with a focus on the most vulnerable individuals within communities.

Meet a Habitat family Samira, age 55, lives with her husband and two sons in Bani Ahmad village, al-Minya Governorate in sub-standard housing. Samira benefited from the Poorest of the Poor initiative as her family lacks a source of income excpet for Samira’s husband’s pension from his former job. For may years, her family has suffered from unsanitary and inadequate housing conditions, which have had a negative impact on her health and that of her family. This issue also became a growing concern with the onset of COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, HFHE helped in mitigating the family‘s risk from being affected by the pandemic through housing interventions that focused on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene through bathroom renovations, and sewage network interventions.