Building Homes for Orphans and Vulnerable Children

Chonde, Malawi

Africa-site — Location of House #1 in Malawi, Africa.

Build site - large — Pin showing location of House #1, local school is located in the village seen on the right side of the image.

The red pin is the location of house #1. The image shows the deforestation that has occured to fuel “burnt’ bricks and cooking, The green forested area in the upper left is part of a wildlife refuge.

Some facts about Malawi

Geography – Central Africa; bordering Mozambique, Zambia, Tanzania

High plateau; Lake Malawi (part of East Rift Valley)
Climate
Resources
- Lime stone
- Agricultural land (38% arable, 19% pasture, 34% forest)
- Hydropower
Government
- Former British colony; independence in 6 July 1964
- Republic (unitarypresidentialconstitutional); riddled with corruption
Economics •GDP (PPP): 25 billion; 1300/per capita

Hand plowed fields for corn — The major crop for families is growing corn

Key facts & figures

Population: 18.57 million; 128/km²(333/sq mile) •Ethnic groups: 3 major (Chewa, Lomwe) and many minor
Language: ChiChewa and ChiTonga; English •Life expectancy: 61.2 years (78.69 years)
Median age: 16.6 years (USA: 38.1 years)
Urbanization: 16.3% live in cities (USA: 82%)
Unemployment rate: 7.5%
Population living below poverty line: 52.4%
Median annual income: $150 (USA: $61,372), about 41 cents a day.

Symbols of Social Stratification. Shoes are expensive and often the local people are barefoot even in the cities.
Read more: https://www.everyculture.com/Ja-Ma/Malawi.html#ixzz67M2gxP8F

Housing in Malawi

A severe lack of homes

Approximately 21,000 new units are needed every year for the next 10 years to meet housing demand – this far exceeds supply.
In the urban areas, many people live in slums characterized by poor water and sanitation facilities, no electricity and poor road networks. There are very few institutions dedicated to eliminating poverty housing in Malawi.

78% of families in Malawi live in substandard housing characterized by mud walls and grass thatch houses (Population and Housing census, 2008)

Mud bricks – dissolve when the rain comes. .

Habitat for Humanity in Malawi

Since 2008 Habitat for Humanity Malawi with funds from the Gates Foundation has supported 681 Individual Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC’s) with improved shelter, homeowner training on HIV prevention, malaria prevention, and property rights & will writing in the Mulanje and Salima districts of Malawi

Cost estimates

Three room house and VIP latrine for six (on average) OVC household members •Total cost: US $6,500 (includes 15% administration fee)

Cost break down •Construction materials: $5,000 •Transportation: $500 •Mosquito nets: $10 •HIV prevention training $20 •Water and sanitation training: $10 •Wills and inheritance training: $60 •Labor: $900

Habitat for Humanity- Malawi Target Groups

Low income households living on less than $1.00 a day •Orphan and Vulnerable Group Households i.e.:
Children who have lost one or both parents
Households headed by a child or grandparent
Households who are homeless or living in poverty housing
Households vulnerable to property grabbing
Households with poor access to health, property & psychosocial care

The receiving families

Mother

Widow

5 children

2-10 years

Mother

Widow

4 children

4-10 years

Grandmother

3 children still living at home (unmarried)

1 grandchild

Home build – Local masons

Home build – Home owners

Home build – Extended family

Home build – Volunteers

Home build – Training

Juneau: 150 children; 4 teachers; $5000 per child per year
Salima: 1000 children; 8 teachers; $1000 “grant” per year for the entire school (most years)

Orphans and vulnerable families

The “orphans and vulnerable groups” program started in 2009 and to date, HFHM has constructed 200 houses for the vulnerable families in six communities.
The services include:
- Improved housing: HFHM construct two, three or four-room houses for vulnerable families. In addition, each family is provided with a ventilated improved pit-latrine to improve sanitation and hygiene.
- Malaria prevention training: HFHM provides three insecticide-treated mosquito nets per family. Families are also trained on good sanitation and hygiene practices to prevent diseases, including malaria.
- HIV prevention training: The training is aimed at preventing new infections arising from sexual exploitation, especially of the girls and caregivers.
- Vocational skills training: It is provided to older OVC, especially those who dropped out from school. The package includes provision of tools and equipment like carpentry or sewing machines.
- Property and inheritance rights training: It aims to protect the OVC from property grabbing. The training is offered to OVC caregivers and gate keepers.