Timau Land for Housing Project
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This project was initiated in 2010 to assist squatters living in Mukuri A, Mukuri B, Kwa Joshua, Kieni and Riverside settlements to secure tenure and avoid them being evicted and left homeless. This settlement was started by squatters and has a population of two thousand one hundred (2,100) famillies. Through the Federation's advocacy efforts, the squatters were allocated fifty (50) acres of land by the Government.
Location: Timau, Nairobi, KenyaAll the plots have been successfully allocated to their respective owners and they have documents (deeds/certificates) that indicate their legal tenure. The communities are still making repayments for land demarcation and are yet to embark on a house dreaming process. Three hundred and forty one (341) allotment letters have been issued.
Community capacity:Through this project, the Federation has been able to interact with the Government through the Meru County Council. There is tremendous opportunity to build upon this relationship during the upgrading process.
Enumerations were used as an advocacy tool for gathering data to stop evictions and in the process get to know how many families were affected.
Scale:As part of the 10-Year Campaign the process will be replicated across Kenya. The project will not stop with securing tenure but proceed to a settlement-wide upgrading planning process.
Impact:The project has had a great impact on the entire community in the Meru region and its environs. More individuals are embracing the Federation spirit. In light of this, the Federation has been able to acquire the whole parcel of land from Government. Through this project the Federation has demonstrated the important role that can be played by the community in the process who ensured the allotment letters for the allocated plots are issued.
Enumerations, and the resulting data, are being used as an advocacy tool to stop evictions and in the process to know the number of families that are affected by the threat of eviction.
Finance: SDI Contributions:SDI constributed a total of US$36,907.
Resources Leveraged:Fifty (50) acres of land for Survey. The associated fees were subsidized.
State Subsidy:Fifty (50) acres of land to the community, which is presently (in 2015) valued at US$708,333. The Municipal Council of Meru also waivered the allocation fees. The Federation only had to pay the survey fees.
Market Generated Returns:None to date.
Costs recovered from community:To date, US$15,203.00 has been repaid by the Federation members.
| Contact | Telephone | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Makau | jackmakau@sdinet.org | (+254) 20 267 770 | View Website |
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Project information updated: 17 November 2015
Project in depth
Detailed Information
Provision of two thousand one hundred (2,100) parcels of land to the urban poor residing in Mukuri A,Mukuri B, Kwa Joshua, Kieni and Riverside settlements. Each parcel of land is thirty metres squared (30msq).
Community capacity:To provide security of tenure so that community capacity to plan for the upgrading of their shelter and settlement could be improved.
The Alliance is working to increase numbers of Federation members and those participating in savings groups. Currently purchase pace is slow as saving has been inconsistent. Yet the change of financing for the land means that this problem has been lessened. Financing used to done by Kenya’s Urban Poor Fund but now the joint Akiba Mashinani housing finance company Makao Mashinani is responsible. In doing this the Kenyan Alliance is able to better segment slum populations for appropriate financing solutions - allowing the poorest in the slum to draw from the urban poor fund, while those with less vulnerable income levels are weaned into the market through Makao Mashinani. Target households will repay their loans on a daily basis to the saving scheme. This will be accomplished through the application of daily savings mechanisms.
Scale:As part of the 10-year campaign for land tenure, the project is intended to be replicated throughout the informal settlements of the country.
Impact:To improve tenure security for the urban poor and inclusively upgrade Kenya’s urban areas.
Finance: SDI Contributions:SDI constributed a total of US$36,907.
Resources Leveraged:Fifty (50) acres of land.
State Subsidy:The waiver of some Municipal fees, namely the allocation fees.
Market Generated Returns:US$708,333 (current value of the land).
Costs recovered from community:To date, US$15,203 has been repaid. This money is placed into a revolving fund and will be utilised to fund other projects.
Mitlin, D. (2008b). Urban Poor Funds: Development by the People for the People, Working Paper 18. [Online]. Available: http://pubs.iied.org/pdfs/10559IIED.pdf.
Muchui, D. (2014). Timau Set for Digital Integrated Strategic Urban Development Plan. [Online]. Available: https://ciameru.wordpress.com/2014/07/12/timau-set-for-digital-integrated-strategic-urban-development-plan.
Funding Information
Raised: | $36,907.00 |
Funding type: | Grant funding |
Implementing Partners
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Muungano wa Wanavijiji
