Habitat for Humanity opens regional housing forum in Jordan

AMMAN — The United States non-governmental organisation, Habitat for Humanity, opened a regional housing forum in Jordan on Wednesday with the aim of building houses for low-income families.

The MENA Housing Forum is part of a global series of housing forums organised by Habitat for Humanity in collaboration with partner organisations in different regions of the world.

During the opening ceremony, Minister of Public Works and Housing Yahya Kisbi said that the housing and infrastructure sector is a key to achieving sustainable civil development, lauding Habitat's positive impact in Jordan and its contribution to providing appropriate residences, as well as its maintenance of existing buildings.

Manager for Jordan and MENA at Habitat Mousa Naffa noted that 70 per cent of Jordanian families, according to World Bank reports, cannot afford the costs of decent housing, while other estimates indicate that 30 per cent of Jordanians and 48 per cent of Syrian refugees lack access to affordable houses.

The forum tackled challenges facing housing institutions and promoted the reduction of housing costs, as well as enhancing climate adaptability and encouraging innovative construction plans for sustainable houses and facilities.

Habitat started work in Jordan in 2002 under an agreement with the government, and currently operates in four villages in cooperation with local communities and volunteers from local and foreign societies.

More than 10,000 families, or 50,000 individuals, have benefited from Habitat's services, which facilitated their access to shelter and improved their living conditions through financial aid, green buildings and the restoration of infrastructure and miscellaneous facilities in partnership with the ministries of social development, health, and education and local organisations.