Aga Khan Agency for Microfinance

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Housing

Housing loans in Syria are being promoted to help households install piping in their residences, connect to water mains, and improve latrines and sanitation facilities. These loans help families to protect their health and, in turn, achieve a better quality of life..Housing is one of the basic foundations of a family’s quality of life. In 2009, AKAM institutions dedicated a portion of their loan portfolios to supporting housing improvement. AKAM is looking beyond basic access to finance to promote a broader agenda of habitat improvement in poor communities.

Decreasing the likelihood of building collapse during moderate earthquakes is a priority for AKDN–particularly in Pakistan, Central Asia and in the urban areas of Egypt. Intervention activities that will help to limit the damage from other disasters such as floods or fires in dense urban areas are also being developed. One of these activities is the promotion of the use of kiln-fired bricks instead of mud bricks, which are less durable and more likely to crumble during a disaster.

Overcrowding in the home is a pressing problem in the developing world that can negatively affect the health of entire families. Overcrowdedness forces people to sleep in the same room in which they cook, eat, wash and, in rural areas, keep their animals at night. Adding rooms allows the household to be more spread out and, when combined with other initiatives, such as roof vents and windows, helps to increase air circulation and reduces the prevalence of cooking smoke in the house.

Related to the issue of reduced crowding and the addition of new rooms is the need for many households to be able to convert or add on spaces in which to carry out economic activities, such as the home-based variety store. This is especially important for women who may be restricted in their ability to work outside the home due to societal restrictions.

The importance of access to clean water and sanitation is undeniable. Housing loans can help households to install piping within their homes, connect to water mains and improve sanitation facilities. Almost half of the world’s population do not have proper sanitation facilities or the knowledge to improve the quality of the water that is accessible to them. Simple solutions, such as changing the placement of the latrine in relation to the water well so that the drinking water source cannot be so easily contaminated, can improve the lives of the clients. There are about 1.8 billion people in the world who do not have access to a water source within one kilometre of their home. Girls, who are usually responsible for transporting clean water, are often unable to attend school on a regular basis due to these chores. By ameliorating access to clean water, communities can become healthier, better educated and more productive.

In order to develop a robust housing finance portfolio, AKAM is partnering with AKPBS as well as other partners to ensure that the repair and refurbishment projects are safe, efficient, and environmentally sound. AKPBS also helps ensure that they contribute to improvements to household living standards.

AKAM and AKPBS are working to develop local suppliers so that specific products can be built at lower costs; often with low technologies, so that the habitat products are sustainable.