New Housing Program Launches to Support Affordable, Resilient Housing for Global Communities
Housing cooperative members build their homes together in Harare, Zimbabwe. February 1997.Photographer: Kicki Johansson for WeEffect.
In Harare, Zimbabwe, housing cooperatives empower low-income families to save money and build their homes collaboratively.
Members reduce costs by sharing resources and labour while fostering a sense of community and solidarity, demonstrating.
how collective entrepreneurship can create sustainable living environments and uplift marginalized communities through cooperation.
Swedish organizations and CHI members, We Effect, HSB, and Riksbyggen are joining forces to launch an international housing program focused on expanding access to adequate housing for people facing poverty. By leveraging Sweden’s cooperative housing expertise, this collaboration aims to support low-income communities worldwide in organizing, building skills, and securing financing for housing initiatives.
We Effect, a leader in the right to housing, has a long history of supporting marginalized communities, particularly women, by strengthening their capacities to improve housing conditions. In this new program, We Effect will lead operational coordination and implementation, while HSB and Riksbyggen will contribute their networks, expertise, and advocacy. The program also seeks new funding avenues and aims to develop housing that can withstand climate-related challenges.
With a focus on East Africa and Latin America, the program will prioritize local partnerships, ensuring sustained support. Additionally, the program is expected to foster future collaborative efforts in post-conflict regions such as Ukraine, where housing reconstruction will play a critical role.
Sweden’s recent shifts in development aid policies emphasize business cooperation, making this new program an example of synergy between civil society and corporate expertise. By working together, We Effect, HSB, and Riksbyggen are positioning cooperatives as resilient, sustainable housing solutions in Sweden and abroad, reinforcing their shared commitment to dignified community-led housing. For more details please read the full report.
Gladys Ncube, member of the Kumboyedza Housing Cooperative, with her nephew Loyd, 8, and her granddaughter Cynthia, 3, in front of her one-room house in Ruwa, outside Harare. Photographer: Riccardo Gangale for WeEffect
In Ruwa, Zimbabwe, the Kumboyedza housing cooperative is building solid, five-room homes on 300-square-meter plots. With We Effect’s support, the cooperative has strengthened its ability to manage land issues, permits, and utilities, demonstrating how collective action fosters community resilience and creates long-term opportunities for its members.