Habitat Resource Centres

Traditionally, Habitat for Humanity has operated at field level through committees of local people who work together to build new homes in their community. However, this model is outmoded in some places:

  • It takes a lot of staff resource to train and manage the affiliate members who are effectively community volunteers.
  • Managing an affiliate becomes increasingly inefficient as the poverty housing need in one location is met.
  • It typically takes 7-10 years to recover the cost of building a house from the homeowners, slowing our ability to build further homes
  • Research indicates that many of those living in poverty housing would prefer an option to renovate or repair their existing house rather than just building a new one

In response to these factors, we are now developing Resource Centres across the developing world. These are like our UK DIY ‘sheds’ but a little more sophisticated, manned by fully trained Habitat for Humanity staff and local craftspeople offering the following kinds of services:

  • Project management of a build or renovation.
  • Finance and financial advice for home builds or renovations. Typically this is offered by a partnering non-Governmental Organisation, and so Habitat for Humanity recoups its costs immediately, transferring the debt and its servicing to a specialist.
  • Planning and design – architectural services for both renovations and new builds.
  • Different new build options including various modular versions where the family can add to a basic design at a later date. For example, shell schemes provide a floor, walls and roof and the family can add plastering, proper windows, latrine etc at a later date. Some families build a basic house and add further rooms later. Some just want a pit latrine, some just want a renovation such as a new roof.
  • Training for local people in various construction techniques and skills.
  • Provision of materials e.g. stabilised soil blocks for walls.

Resource Centres were pioneered in Indonesia and Sri Lanka after the Asian Tsunami of 2004, when insufficient materials and skills were available to meet the huge housing demand. It is also a model being used in Haiti following the earthquake there.

But this model works as well for non-disaster situations, especially in areas of high population density. For example, many of our affiliates in India now operate a Habitat Resource Centre system.