Housing Poverty In Côte d'Ivoire

45,320 people served in FY19
45,320 people served through incremental building in FY19
Projects: Homes for vulnerable groups (inc. orphans), water and sanitation

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

We work with local government departments and community members to provide sustainable solutions to housing needs, access to clean water and solutions to livelihood challenges.

Our Work In Côte d’Ivoire

Major Programs

Habitat Côte d’Ivoire’s work focuses on water, sanitation and hygiene; community-led total sanitation; Orphans and Vulnerable Groups housing; “Save and Build” houses; and advocacy for land property.

We work with local government departments and community members to provide sustainable solutions to housing needs, access to clean water and solutions to livelihood challenges.

Access to proper sanitation is essential as the prevalent lack of safe water reduces school attendance and compromises health for children. Also in schools, many disabled children do not drink or even eat all day to avoid going to improper toilet facilities.

Home Construction

Many families live in mud houses or crumbling old structures. Most have leaking roofs and broken or cracked walls, which cannot keep out tropical downpours that recur during the rainy season. Habitat Côte d’Ivoire helps build houses and latrines using appropriate technology and local building materials. The designs are simple and spacious and cater to the individual families’ needs, while remaining affordable for the homeowners. Houses consist of two or three bedrooms and a hall.

Recently, 12 smaller houses were built (another 19 are planned) with soil blocks in order to help vulnerable families. Côte d’Ivoire has one of the highest rates of adult HIV in West Africa, estimated at 3.7%. The number of orphans and vulnerable children in the country because of HIV/AIDS in adults is estimated at 440,000.

Improper Housing

Thatch-roof houses harbour 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.

Our local team 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.

Overcrowding is an issue in most thatch-roof houses, and lack of natural light and ventilation causes further illnesses and problems (e.g. studying).

Current projects To Alleviate Poverty In Côte D´Ivoire

The Guernsey Overseas Aid & Development Commission (GOAC) funds will improve the health and living conditions of 8,400 extremely poor individuals…

The Guernsey Overseas Aid & Development Commission (GOAC) funds will improve the health and living conditions of 8,400 extremely poor individuals in 3 regions (Centre, North and East). The overall objective is to increase access to sustainable and affordable sanitation and hygiene services for vulnerable populations. The specific activities of the project include:

Rehabilitation of 30 water pumps for hundreds of families
Rehabilitation of 45 latrines to prevent the spread of diseases within communities
Training of 3,000 individuals
Distribution of 4,000 hygiene kit.

We will implement the project in partnership with the local authorities, the municipalities, the local health district and INHP (government agent for water quality testing) at a cost of £40,000. Read an update about the project on the impact of water pumps and toilets on poverty in Côte d’Ivoire.

Support Our Work In Côte D´Ivoire

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Partner with us to build more safe homes

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Housing Orphans

This project helps protect the inheritance rights and improve the living conditions of families through housing and related support services. HFH Côte d’Ivoire together with its implementing partners provide housing and pit latrines, trainings on inheritance rights and will writing as well as and hygiene promotion.

Through this project, HFH seek to change the attitude of community members by mobilizing community leaders, other NGOs and CBOs operating in the community to help uphold the rights of women and children.

Financial Education

The project aims to develop financial skills of youths and women-headed household. The training will target families struggling to make ends meet and families prepared to grow to help them to manage their revenue and to empower them to take care of their family.

The training aims to empower participants with knowledge on market research, budgeting, savings and credit through a series of workshops. If necessary, local languages can be used.

Helping The Blind

In the target communities, blind persons earn less than $40 per month. To survive, they are often assisted by their relatives. Families typically live in mud houses or crumbling old structures. To improve living conditions of individuals affected by river blindness,

Our team Côte d’Ivoire proposes a project that targets communities in the central region. The intervention includes the construction and rehabilitation of safe and healthy houses.