The South African Homeless Peoples' Federation – investing in the poor

• Autores: Ted Baumann, Diana Mitlin
• Localización: Enterprise development & microfinance, ISSN 1755-1978, Vol. 14, Nº. 1, 2003, págs. 32-41
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Much emphasis has been placed in microfinance on organizational sustainability. An alternative measure of success is related to the benefits generated. This paper assesses and discusses the successes of the South African Homeless People'sFederation to achieve housing delivery for the poor. The Federation works with locally established savings groups, facilitating their access to housing (and the state housing subsidy) with both loan finance and skill sharing through community exchanges. The authors argue that the successes of the policy should be understood in terms of the assets that have been created for and by the poor.An estimated benefit of R540 million (net present value) has been secured mainly as a result of the improved housing constructed, and the emphasis on savings and loan finance is now being considered for replication by the state. The approach is not without its own limitations, however. The pro-poor stance has been weakened by the role of the state housing subsidy system and its approach to housing construction and management.