HONG KONG - Attendees at WOCCU?s World Forum here in Southern China ?traveled? to Africa courtesy of a video link to Kenya.
Prior to the link, Dr. Anna Tibaijuka, United Nations Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of UN-HABITAT in Nairobi, outlined the urgent need for affordable housing worldwide.
Tibaijuka outlined the role that credit unions and the African savings and credit cooperatives, known as SACCOs, can play to help meet this need. ?In Africa, 72% of the urban population are slum dwellers and in Asia 46% are slum dwellers,? Tibaijuka told the audience. ?And those who benefit by exploiting the poor don?t want things to change.?
Tabaijuka explained that poor housing means much more than a lack of shelter. It causes malnutrition, poor health, low self-esteem and a raft of social issues, including crime and substance abuse. Rising food prices have only exacerbated the problem, she added.
She said the world demands 5 million new units per year, or 4,000 new housing alternatives needed every hour by a growing population of poor people. ?The advantages [of supporting the development of affordable housing] are great, and each of us must play a role, ?Tibaijuka added. ?The knowledge and efforts on the part of credit unions can help millions.?
Tibaijuka?s remarks were followed by a video-link to a SACCO in Kenya during which program manager Erick Sile anchored a brief discussion between WOCCU CEO Pete Crear, in Hong Kong, and SACCO staff and members in Africa. Kenya currently has 4,000 SACCOs serving more than 4 million people, said Sile, manager of one of WOCCU's three development programs in Kenya.
Sile described the way SACCOs were largely protected by their members from looting and burning during election riots and civil unrest earlier in the year, while the SACCO managers explained the service offered to microentrepreneurs, two of whom were present on the call.(c) 2008 The Credit Union Journal and SourceMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved.http://www.cujournal.com http://www.sourcemedia.com
