Country Facts:
- Capital – Yamoussoukro
- Population – 23.1 million
- Life expectancy – 58 years
- Unemployment rate – 6.9%
- Below poverty line – 46.3%
Find more country facts on: CIA The World Factbook – Cote d’Ivoire
Habitat Facts
- Date when Habitat started working in the country – 1999
- Individuals served in FY2019 – 45,320
- Through incremental building – 45,320
- Volunteers hosted in FY 2019 – 940
The housing need in Côte d’Ivoire
The cumulative housing deficit in Cote d’Ivoire was estimated at 600,000 units in 2015. In the country’s major urban center of Abidjan alone, the housing deficit is estimated from 40,000 units per year.
In rural areas, 90% 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. The lack of latrines and water facilities was found to be a major challenge. Only 18.1% of the households possess a pit latrine, and 92.5% of households used unsafe drinking water (MICS 2016).
How Habitat addresses the need
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.
What you can do
DONATE
Go to habitat.org/donate and designate your gift to Habitat Côte d´Ivoire.
VOLUNTEER
Join a Habitat Global Village construction team to help communities and families in need of proper housing. Contact [email protected] to learn more.
TITHE
All U.S. Habitat affiliate tithe gifts are sent internationally to serve families outside of the United States. To support our work, U.S. affiliates can designate Côte d´Ivoire on checks and send their tithe to: Habitat for Humanity International P.O. Box 6598 Americus, GA 31709-3498.
CONTACT
To learn more about Habitat projects in Côte d’Ivoire, please contact us at [email protected]
