Kajiado County First Lady Mrs. Edna Lenku gave an inspiring speech during the launch of UN-Habitat’s “Open the Door” campaign. She called for more collaboration to address Africa’s housing crisis and improve the lives of vulnerable communities.
Drawing from personal experiences, Mrs. Lenku highlighted that decent housing goes beyond providing shelter. It restores dignity, improves health, creates job opportunities, and strengthens communities. She encouraged governments, development partners, investors, and the private sector to work together to ensure every family has access to safe, affordable, and adequate housing.
One of the event’s most emotional moments occurred when two elderly women from Machakos County shared moving stories about how receiving permanent homes changed their lives. The grandmothers spoke about the struggles they faced while living in unsafe and unsuitable housing. They explained how their new homes restored their dignity, improved their health and safety, and filled them with hope for the future.
The event also included discussions on Africa’s increasing housing challenge. Experts noted that the continent has a housing shortfall of over 50 million units. This shortage is driven by rapid urbanization, population growth, rising construction costs, and limited access to affordable housing finance. Participants emphasized the need for stronger policy changes and more investment to close the housing gap.
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Delegates looked at opportunities for partnerships and investment, stressing the importance of closer collaboration among governments, private developers, financial institutions, development partners, and local communities. Discussions focused on expanding affordable housing finance, encouraging public-private partnerships, investing in climate-resilient and cost-effective building technologies, improving land administration systems, and supporting local production of construction materials.
Speakers also highlighted how housing can promote sustainable development. They pointed out that decent housing leads to better public health through improved sanitation and safer living environments. It also supports climate action with resilient and energy-efficient buildings, promotes gender equality by empowering women through secure housing and property ownership, and fosters economic inclusion by creating jobs, boosting local industries, and allowing families to build long-term wealth.
Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti, who attended the event as the Guest of Honour, pledged her county government’s support for the UN-Habitat “Open the Door” campaign. She reaffirmed her commitment to initiatives that change the lives of women and vulnerable households by providing access to safe and dignified housing. She noted that partnerships between governments and development organizations are essential for ensuring more families benefit from decent and affordable homes.
The launch of the “Open the Door” campaign reaffirmed UN-Habitat’s commitment to mobilizing partnerships, investment, and collective action to guarantee that everyone has access to safe, affordable, and adequate housing while building more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable communities across Africa.
