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Vulnerable communities in Mayuge to get 42 free houses
Ms Efulansi Nabirye, a 49-year-old widow who shares a one-roomed shack with nine children and a goat, is one of the beneficiaries. PHOTO BY PHILLIP WAFULA
What you need to know:
Mr Anthony Waniala, 48, a widower and father-of-four who has benefited from the program, said he was living in squalid conditions until June when he moved into his newly-constructed house.
The Uganda National Housing Survey 2012-2013 and most recently, 2016-207 show that over 73 per cent of rural setting live in temporal housing that is linked to poverty, Mr Gilbert Omeda, the VGHP manager, said.
A total of 42 houses are to be constructed for vulnerable communities in Mayuge District this financial year by Habitat for Humanity, a Non-Governmental Organization.
This was revealed by Mr Robert Otim, the organisation’s national director during an engagement on the housing sector in Uganda held at Ngayama village, Kityerera Sub-county in Mayuge District on Wednesday.
Mayuge is the only district in Busoga sub-region which is benefiting from the organisation’s Vulnerable Group Housing Programme [VGHP] which started in 2004. Kumi and Kabalore are the other recipient districts.
“This year we are constructing 42 houses in Mayuge at a cost of Shs1b and these are direct costs for the houses and doesn’t include operational costs. The programme will also include vocational training, startup kits for youths and community life skills,” he said.
Ms Efulansi Nabirye, a 49-year-old widow who shares a one-roomed shack with nine children and a goat, is one of the beneficiaries.
“When it rains, my room gets flooded and the rampant theft of animals has forced me to share the same room with my goat,” she said.
Upon completion, the houses will eclipse the 24 and 36 houses that were constructed during the 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 financial years respectively.
Mr Anthony Waniala, 48, a widower and father-of-four who has benefited from the program, said he was living in squalid conditions until June when he moved into his newly-constructed house.
The Uganda National Housing Survey 2012-2013 and most recently, 2016-207 show that over 73 per cent of rural setting live in temporal housing that is linked to poverty, Mr Gilbert Omeda, the VGHP manager, said.
“Also, other studies conducted show that the poverty rates and HIV/AIDS prevalence in the area is high that is why we have decided to help the locals based on the resource envelope,” he said.
“Before, most of these youths had no element of livelihood; we are now building one by skilling them to have something to earn a living,” he added.
According to Mr Omeda, a well-crafted criterion is followed when selecting the beneficiaries.
“The Local Council leaders mobilize the locals after which we educate them on who should benefit. However, key parameters are that the person should be a widow or widower taking care of vulnerable children,” he said.
“We also look at the health, shelter and income statuses of the household. There must also be an assurance that the land on which the house is going to be constructed is safe to avert land issues, if any,” he added.
Since its founding in 1982, the organisation has built, rehabilitated and repaired or improved more than 30,000 housing units in Uganda for over 150,000 individuals.
