Zimbabwe Homeless People’s Federation was established in 1998 and was officially launched by the then Minister of Local Government - the late Hon. John Nkomo. • The Federation consists of a countrywide network of 323 housing savings groups that save for housing and livelihoods with a membership of 9310. • To date, the Federation has secured around 5000 plots and installed services in 75% of these plus constructing 3000 low-cost housing units. • The work of the Federation focuses on mobilising urban homeless communities around housing savings groups and then support engagement with key stakeholders such as government around land negotiations and policy review.

1. ZIMBABWE COUNTRY
REPORT
Presentation by the Zimbabwe Homeless People’s Federation

2. Organizational Background
• Zimbabwe Homeless People’s Federation was
established in 1998 and was officially launched
by the then Minister of Local Government - the
late Hon. John Nkomo.
• The Federation consists of a countrywide
network of 323 housing savings groups that save
for housing and livelihoods with a membership of
9310.
• To date, the Federation has secured around
5000 plots and installed services in 75% of these
plus constructing 3000 low-cost housing units.
• The work of the Federation focuses on mobilising
urban homeless communities around housing
savings groups and then support engagement
with key stakeholders such as government
around land negotiations and policy review.

4. Strategic Tools Guiding the Federation Model

5. Successes Registered To Date
• Close to 10 000 urban poor households mobilised
around housing savings schemes countrywide
• US$2 million mobilised in savings by the 323 groups
countrywide and this has been used to leverage
more resources
• Housing and infrastructure installations for close to
5000 households
• Livelihoods opportunities created for the 10 000
households through loans for business and other
household needs
• Strategic partnerships established at central and
local government level through MOUs
• Innovative infrastructure options tested and
embraced by Councils
• Participatory in-situ slum upgrading piloted in
Epworth addressing tenure for close to 10 000
households

6. The Epworth Layout Plan

7. MOU signing with City of Harare

8. Community-led infrastructure installation in
Dzivarasekwa Extension

9. Challenges Impacting on
Community-led Housing Initiatives
• Access to affordable finance to
scale up housing and
infrastructure projects
• Prohibitive town planning
regulatory environment
• Access to affordable land for
low-income housing
development
• Evictions without alternatives
• Rising council housing waiting
lists

10. Moving Forward
• Documenting the magnitude of the slum crisis
in cities - Enumerations
• Creation of innovative funding mechanisms for
low-income housing development - HSUFF
• Reviewing of existing town planning
regulations
• Embracing in-situ participatory slum upgrading
- Example - Harare & Epworth
• Embracing alternative housing and
infrastructure options for low-income housing
development - Ecological Sanitation Toilets
• Improving stakeholders co-ordination to
harness various institutional capacities
• Institutionalizing engagement with the low-
income housing stakeholders - MOUs.

11. Thank You!!