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Background & oBjectives

In Egypt there are an estimated 20 million homes in need of significant upgrade. Although nearly 95% of Egypt’s population falls within the low to middle income bracket (earning less than US$40 a month), the conventional housing market does not cater to this majority. Housing For All (HFA) Egypt, known locally as “El Dawar” plans to capitalize on existing resources, expertise and networks to provide affordable housing materials, access to credit, and technical assistance to those in need of safe, sustainable and environmentally sound homes.

core activities

HFA Egypt design is based on the understanding that housing troubles are about more than just homes. HFA Egypt will catalyze community development and foster unprecedented homeownership that translates into healthier and self-sufficient livelihoods. HFA Egypt partners with local communities, universities, the business sector and the government to implement affordable homes through special centers that connect existing microfinance institutions closely associated with four Ashoka Middle East Fellows. Its business plan includes core activities such as providing construction materials, financial access and technical assistance through project partners.

Over the next 5 years HFA centers will be consolidating to form an advocacy-anchored cooperative that will expand the program beyond the current region. It will be launched during the last quarter of 2010 and is on track to build 18,355 housing units until 2015.

• Housing Model: Home Improvement & New Homes

• director: Iman Bibars (Interim HFA Director)

• Program Launch: 2010

• number of Partners: - Citizen Sector: 4 - Business Sector: 2

HOUSING FOR ALL

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EGYPT

saMeH seif, Ashoka Fellow and founder of The Together Project has been working in the Beni Suef and Kafr Gaafar areas of Egypt for several years- where 30% of the population living in Kafr Gaafar is a Christian minority. In one of the early pilot home reconstruction phases, a Christian family was hosted by a Muslim family while everyone worked to remodel the Christian family’s home. In Egypt, where religious tensions between Christian and Muslim populations have been historically tense, this project fostered a sense of community despite differences—

an additional benefit to the community impact of HFA programs.

IMPACT3 international organizations including United Nations Habitat, Habitat International and Citibank have all expressed interest in the HFA credit scheme

2 universities (Minia University & Cairo University) and 2 companies have officially signed to be HFA project partners

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed among community leaders and project partners demonstrating community buy-in

Business sector

• Delta Nile company

• Swisfarma for tiles

tecHnicaL assistance

• Minia University

• Cairo University

citiZen sector

aggregators, complementary services & access enablers

• Together

• The Association for the Development and Enhancement of Women

• Kenouz Sainai

• Better Life Association for Comprehensive Development

By consulting with community members about the project, both male and female, we are able to generate a sense of ownership and enhance local pride”

sameh seif, ASHOKA Fellow, The Together Foundation

Hybrid Value Chain (HVC) is a new operating framework for transforming markets by leveraging the strengths of business and social actors. HVC spread across the economic spectrum and represent a systemic change in the way business and citizen sector interact.

ASHOKA’S MAIN PARTNERS AND THEIR ROLE IN THE HOUSING FOR ALL HYBRID VALUE CHAIN APPLICATION