Accommodation is a magical solution to many domestic and social problems

The provision of housing not only eradicates homelessness but also disease and deprivation, crime and family breakdown. By providing homes, people’s money can be better spent on life’s other necessities such as food, medicine, therapy, study and marriage. In addition to this, the home is a symbolic cornerstone of security and comfort; a stable place for the family to unite and a platform from which to progress. Unfortunately, not everyone has this safe refuge to protect them and their family.

The project aims to provide a two-bedroom home measuring 40m² for  the price of 3,500 Pounds Sterling only.

How will the project be able to provide suitable accommodation at such low prices?

There are a number of factors upon which the Project relies in order to reach its effective and productive outcomes at minimum cost. These are as follows:

Firstly, our Project  is non-profit and we do not deduct any administration fees from donations.

Secondly, the members of the project will be entirely in charge of overseeing and directing every aspect of the process which will eliminate any costs that may be incurred as a result of employing subcontractors to carry out parts of the project.

Thirdly, in addition to kind donations from benefactors to help make this project a reality, we also depend on the goodwill of volunteers who work for next to nothing on this project. People with any skill or ability can volunteer to help in any way they can, ranging from professionals such as architects to carpenters to those who can help in any way they can. All of this aims to restrict labour costs which will in turn lessen the overall cost for each home.

Fourthly, cooperation with local councils to achieve plots for free or for low prices means that we can focus costs on the houses themselves. Also, contributions can be made to cover the costs of plots of ground.

Fifthly, it is essential that the central as well as the relevant local government departments offer their support and approval of the project. This includes provision of plots on which we will build either free of charge or for low prices in addition to the other necessary basic services such as access to water pipes, electricity, sewage systems and other roads and services.

Who is the programme’s proposed beneficiaries?

First and foremost, we aim to help those people who cannot afford a home of their own. It may be the case that they do not have a plot of ground to build on, or that they have this but not the means with which to build on it.

Secondly, we wish to focus on the needy youth who, in Iraq, make up 65% of the population. They may not satisfy the requirements of other government or charitable housing schemes and so, miss out on the opportunity to be housed.

How will the beneficiary repay the costs?

We shall employ a discretionary approach to the method in which costs are repaid by those who will benefit from the scheme. In other words, a specific payment plan will be drawn up for each family based on their circumstances. Income and other related factors will be taken into account when deciding how much and when a family will start repaying the cost of the house.

There are, of course, some factors that we shall bear in mind. For instance, we recognise that some very poor families will have no income whatsoever and we will of course not be expecting any return from them. However, if and when their financial circumstances improve and they are able to repay in instalments, then we shall expect them to do so.

As for those who can afford to contribute something financially then we will expect them to furnish an initial 10%-20% payment for the house (depending of course on their actual financial state and ability to pay) followed by regular monthly instalments to cover the entire cost of the house.

Which sections are targeted by the project?

First group: poor people with no incomes

First and foremost, we aim to help those people who cannot afford a home. It may be the case that they do not have the means with which to build a home and we will help by providing one at very low cost, efficiently and of acceptable quality which will meet the basic needs of decent living.

Second group: those with low incomes

The project seeks to help those whose incomes do not enable them to benefit from housing programmes offered by the housing market mechanisms in the private sector or government sector – especially poor families and young people who, in a country like Iraq, represent more than 65% of the population and are generally on the verge of marriage and so in desperate need of homes. This means that 2.3 million housing units should be built to meet the needs of young people until 2015, according to some statistics.