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In episode 3 of our podcast series, we talk about informal settlements in Africa with Charles Witbooi, Program Head for Advocacy and Volunteering Engagement at Habitat for Humanity South Africa.

“My son often asks: daddy, what is war? But how do you explain to a child what war is and why it started? Neither do I understand why this had to happen. What I do know, is that I didn’t want my family to experience any more of it. So we left.”

Jordan, home to one of the highest per capita shares of refugees in the world, faces significant challenges. Out of its 11 million population, one-third are refugees from neighboring countries like Palestine, Syria, and Iraq. Most have arrived in the last two decades due to regional conflicts, exerting immense pressure on the country’s public services, energy resources, and notably its water supply, as Jordan is one of the most water-scarce nations globally.

For low-income families, securing decent housing is a major challenge due to economic conditions. With an unemployment rate of approximately 26%, over 2 million Jordanians lack access to affordable housing, and 1.36 million live in poor conditions. According to the UNHCR, 80% of refugees in Jordan live below the poverty line, including 60% who live in extreme poverty.

Habitat for Humanity and UN-Habitat to host land and housing policymakers and practitioners from across Africa.
 

Habitat for Humanity and Somfy helped 200 families in Australia, Brazil, China, Lebanon, Poland, and the US to gain access to decent housing.

Empty Spaces News is the official hub for updates, articles, and insights on the project’s progress, featuring developments from both Poland and Great Britain.

In July 2018, financial institutions, donors and investors will come together to unlock new housing solutions for Sub-Saharan Africa.