Responding to low-cost housing demand – Homes for the low-income mass market

I was very interested to read this email newsletter from Hennie Botes, CEO of moladi, South Africa:

 An award winning Port Elizabeth based company, established in 1986, makes housing accessible to low-income people through innovative and eco-friendly reusable recycled plastic formwork technology, creating employment. Decent affordable housing is one of the key factors in the fight against poverty and social exclusion. It is not just about putting a roof over someone’s head. 

Academic research proves that access to a clean and stable home implicates an improvement in security, health and education. With the motto “Train the unemployed to build for the homeless” moladi combines construction with economic development to bring about change. Hennie Botes, the inventor and CEO of moladi, has been invited as keynote speaker at this prestigious event. This symposium has been organized jointly by Shelter Afrique and the Ministry of Housing, Cote D’Ivoire.

For more information visit Shelter Afrique Alternate building technologies and construction methods. Sustainable solution to alleviating housing deficit in Africa.

I was intrigued by this housing solution. After digging around the internet for a couple of minutes, I soon found an interview with this social entrepreneur, which you can see here:

Hennie Botes - moladi CEO from moladi

Hennie is setting about the de-skilling of the construction process in order to meet housing demand. He has a vision of creating a production line for housing, “to be the Henry Ford of the housing market”.

The process is based on generating employment with on-site work, with most of the parts in the house being cast on site with plastic molds. They are even talking about providing finance for their clients. This seems an immensely pragmatic and effective way to develop sustainable solutions. 

 Is this unique or are there other examples of this kind of activity?

For more information visit moladi.net

- Ceeforum