Housing and Health for Vulnerable Families in Addis Ababa.
Thanks to support from TowerBrook Foundation and Habitat for Humanity Great Britain, we have implemented a project that help individuals challenged by poverty ensure their safety and dignity. A multi-year project prioritized families living in slums areas of Addis Ababa. Through the first phase of the project, 389 families (1,351 individuals) moved to new houses and started to use improved toilets and kitchens. More than 1,800 individuals including 82 health extension workers and community leaders received hygiene awareness raising training. Furthermore, 11,000 school children have been served through installation of water facilities and construction of school toilets.
With this strong partnership, the second phase, which is a three-year project is being implemented focusing on housing, hygiene and sanitation in Lideta Sub City of Addis Ababa. The second phase of the project will serve 660 individuals (372 families) directly and 165 individuals (93 families) indirectly.
The project is expected to transform the lives of families and individuals by creating access to decent houses and sanitation facilities. Basic hygiene awareness creation training is an important component of the project to bring behavioral change and reduce health risks related to water and sanitation.
The project is designed to include integrated components and leverages engaging of community and government offices to address complex problems related to poverty housing, inadequate sanitation facilities as well as lack of proper hygienic practices.
Like other projects, this project has significant contribution to the mission of Habitat for Humanity by addressing housing and sanitation needs of people who have no other means to mitigate multi-dimension challenges.
Though the project implemented is carried out as planned, it passes through many challenges. Lack of space to construct houses, toilets and kitchens, and rise in prices of construction materials are among the challenges encountered. Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia works in collaboration with target families, community representative and local administration to make the projects successful and sustainable.