Dreaming of a Safe Place to Live
Progressive Housing Initiative for Latin America
Dreaming of a safe and dignified place to live is what everybody strives for. It’s critical not only for one's safety and health, but also for the social and economic development. Yet, an estimated 1.6 billion people worldwide live in so-called substandard housing, and that number is expected to rise to 3 billion by 2030. Can you imagine the influx of people into informal settlements over the next decade, and the impact on the residents of those neighborhoods?
As a global phenomenon, the housing situation of the poor is dramatic with extremely complex challenges to face. Therefore, Affordable Housing & Technology is one of the Hilti Foundation's focus areas. That involves more than the well-known Cement Bamboo Frame Technology, which provides safe and sustainable homes for families in need. The Foundation also supports the development and implementation of other solutions to improve the way families live and build.
Over the past decade, many successful programs have been launched and supported, like e.g., the financial service MICRO BUILD FUND, CONSTRUYA, to improve builders’ training, and TECH ACCELERATORS for the introduction of better technologies. For a comprehensive solution to further improve building and housing for low-income families, the Hilti Foundation has now taken the next steps. Together with their partner Swisscontact, they engage with leading housing organizations from across the region, including UN Habitat, Miyamoto International and Habitat for Humanity, to discuss how they can join forces to transform entire ecosystems.
"We only will be able to change low-cost construction if we include all aspects: Access to finance, to materials, and to innovation, better regulation, skills development, and awareness." says Johann Baar, Director Affordable Housing & Technology at the Hilti Foundation.
Lima’s urban realities
This movie from Peru shows the reality of substandard housing and focus on incremental construction in Lima’s informal settlements where it takes decades to build a house. That's what happened to Alicia. For 23 years, her family's home had only a tin roof. They had plans to build on it, but they could never actually do it. Either a family member got sick or even needed emergency surgery, or her father lost his job. All building plans came to a halt. As in many other places in the world, for low- income families, housing construction in Peru is a long process and not a purchase with construction costs playing a more important role than construction quality.
Substandard Housing & incremental construction
Demographic change and rapid urbanization make people move from rural areas towards larger cities. They often end up in substandard housing, unsuitable for human habitation and threatening the health or safety of the residents. Such informal structures have been built incrementally over years, without any access to planning services, quality materials, or skilled labor. Families invest in improving their homes whenever some money is available. In cities like Lima (Peru) or Manila (Philippines), an estimated 60% of the population live under these conditions.
Progressive Housing Initiative for Latin America
Improving low-cost construction will only be possible if all aspects are addressed: Access to finance, quality materials and innovation, as well as better regulation, a skilled workforce and awareness. That's why in 2021, the Hilti Foundation brought together ten of the most substantive housing organizations in Latin-America to discuss and draft a comprehensive approach to how low-income families can build and live. By connecting their programs and driving change through collaboration, the idea is to massively improve the housing stock in the districts selected for a test phase, and enable local administration to upgrade housing on a sustainable level.
Affordable Housing & Technology
Adequate housing is a human right and a prerequisite for social and economic development. Currently, an estimated 1.6 billion people worldwide live in substandard housing, expected to rise up to 3 billion people by 2030. This has a significant impact not only on their safety and health, but also on their economic opportunities and social inclusion. By developing innovative technologies and sustainable building concepts, the Hilti Foundation is helping to create safe and affordable housing that can serve as a starting point for a better life for people in need.