Kenya has launched Habitat for Humanity’s Let’s Open the Door campaign, unveiling two flagship initiatives aimed at improving access to decent housing, combating jigger infestations and empowering vulnerable communities through climate resilient housing solutions.
The campaign will support Maasai women to build climate resilient manyattas while preserving their cultural heritage and upgrade 10,000 household floors in jigger endemic communities, directly benefiting about 50,000 people over the next five years.
Speaking during the launch in Nairobi on Thursday, Habitat for Humanity International Africa Area Vice President Abi Riak said the initiative comes as the organization marks 50 years of transforming lives through housing, having reached more than 65 million people globally.
Riak said Africa continues to face a severe housing crisis, with one in three people in Sub Saharan Africa lacking safe housing and the region recording a housing deficit of about 56 million units. Kenya, she noted, faces an annual housing shortfall of approximately 250,000 units.
“Housing is more than shelter. It influences health, education, economic opportunities, climate resilience and dignity. When we open the door to housing, we open the door to development,” she said.
She urged governments, financial institutions, the private sector and development partners to strengthen collaboration in expanding access to affordable housing and housing finance.
Riak also highlighted Habitat for Humanity’s partnership with the Kenya Medical Research Institute to develop healthier housing solutions, saying pilot studies have shown that improved house designs can reduce malaria carrying mosquitoes inside homes by up to 77 percent.
Habitat for Humanity Kenya National Director Eileen Mokaya said the organization has worked in Kenya for 45 years and is currently implementing programmes in seven counties to improve housing and access to basic services for vulnerable communities.
She said the resilient manyattas initiative will improve ventilation, lighting and energy efficiency in traditional Maasai homes while preserving their cultural identity.
Mokaya said the Jigger Free Homes initiative seeks to eliminate one of the country’s persistent public health challenges by replacing earthen floors that encourage jigger infestations with safer, durable flooring.
“If you treat the person and do not treat the floor, the infestation returns. We want to provide a housing solution to a health problem,” she said.
Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti hailed Habitat for Humanity’s partnership with the county, citing investments in housing, water infrastructure and digital learning that have improved the lives of vulnerable families.
Representing the Ministry of Housing and the Affordable Housing Board, Jona Kimani said decent housing is central to restoring dignity and called for greater collaboration between government and development partners to improve living conditions across the country.
Globally, Habitat for Humanity estimates that one in three people lack access to safe and affordable housing, underscoring the need for increased investment in housing as a driver of better health, education and economic opportunities.
