NHC conducts training on low-cost housing for Lindi villagers

                                                

By Beatrice Philemon The Guardian

About 70 residents of Somanga village in Kilwa District, Lindi Region have undergone training on building low-cost houses to replace their grass-thatched huts.

The training was organised by Amsha Institute of Rural Entrepreneurs East Africa Ltd and the National Housing and Building Research Agency (NHBRA).

The main focus of the programme was to enable villagers improve their housing standards and promote appropriate local building materials.

 Amka and NHBRA have launched the initiative after noting that the majority of Kilwa villagers live in dilapidated buildings.

Amsha Institute of Rural Entrepreneurs East Africa Ltd chairperson Biubwa Maingo said that to meet this initiative right now villagers have begun to build low-cost houses capable of accommodating more than 50 people.

 “As villagers from this area we thank the Kilwa District Council for supporting us with 100 bags of cement to enable build the houses,” she said.

 “As I speak to you, the majority of villagers have changed their mindset by building low-cost houses, especially in Kimjumbi ward,” she added.

The villagers expect to erect 459 houses after undergoing training supported by NHBRA, she explained.

NHBRA is a semi-autonomous government executive agency under the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development responsible for research on low-cost housing.

It was established under the Executive Agencies Act. No. 30 of 1997.

Formerly NHBRA was a department in the same ministry offering free services to the public but due to government reforms this department was changed to an executive agency for delivering its services efficiently and effectively.

AMSHA Institute of Rural Entrepreneurship (EA) Ltd is an umbrella organisation overseeing farming activities in collaboration with private companies, non-governmental organisations, government agencies and departments and international development partners interested in farmers’ group approach towards commercial farming.

The consortium has now managed to bring together about 4,000 farmers in 28 villages of four wards in Miteja division in Kilwa district, Lindi region.