The urban poor under threat and in struggle: options for urban development in Zimbabwe, 1995-2000

Abstract

This paper describes the development of savings schemes by urban poor groups in different urban centres in Zimbabwe and their negotiations with local authorities to allow them to develop their own homes and neighbourhoods. It also describes how these savings schemes developed into the Zimbabwean Homeless People’s Federation (now with 20,000 members), and the constant inter-change between different savings schemes as they learnt from each other (and from leaders of federations from other countries) and encouraged new savings schemes to be set up. Despite very difficult political circumstances and economic problems, there are housing and income generation schemes underway in many Zimbabwean urban centres, organized and managed by urban poor groups’ own savings schemes. The larger ones are inevitably those where local authorities have recognized their potential and provided appropriate support.