Habitat For Humanity of Omaha

The Need in Uganda and Habitat's Response
Nearly 70% of Uganda's 26 million residents live in substandard housing. One bathroom can be shared with as many as 12 families while others have no sanitation or drainage facilities at all. That's why Habitat for Humanity partners with families to build simple, decent homes.

A typical Habitat house in Uganda is four rooms, 360 square feet and has an outdoor shower and a ventilated pit latrine for the bathroom. To make homeownership affordable one room is built at a time so the homeowner can make payments on the loan. Once a loan is paid off homeowners can apply for additions to their existing homes.

More Reasons Why Habitat is Needed  More than half of all households in Uganda have only one bedroom and typically three to four people share this room. Currently 38 percent of the population lives in grass thatched huts. Thirty-five percent of the population lives below the poverty line. Many families start construction on homes using homemade fired mud bricks and sand but are unable to finish because they find that the materials needed to complete construction are too cost prohibitive. Due to a countrywide increase in the cost of building materials, the cost of homes is continually rising. Additionally, many low-income families have trouble accessing bank credit for home construction.

How Habitat Continues to Help  With use of home improvement loans and micro-financing, Habitat Uganda helps families by building with them in stages. After the families have paid off their home loans, they can apply for additions to their existing homes. Habitat also Uganda works with Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) and their caregivers. OVCs are common in Uganda, due to the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS. In addition to home construction, Habitat Uganda offers training on HIV/AIDS awareness, succession planning and life skills. To-date HFH Uganda has built 59 homes specifically for OVCs and their caregivers.