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Background
In order to deal with the urban squatter settlement problem and meet the strong demand
for decent housing, the Senegalese government has engaged in three series of actions among
which is the upgrading housing programme.
The programme which started in 1987, relies on the involvement (human and financial) of
squatters' population in the improvement process of their living conditions.
The programme's expected result is to achieve adequate shelter through an enabling
approach to shelter improvement which is environmentally sound, i.e. actively promote the
legalization and upgrading of squatter settlements.
The main objectives of the project are: land tenure security, peoples' participation, cost
recovery and financial replicability, infrastructures minimal intervention and environment
and management of the surrounding.
Narrative
Senegal, like many developping countries is under pressure from the the urban squatter
settlement problem. In order to deal with such uncontrolled urbanization which represents
almost 25% of Senegal's urban areas and meet the strong demand for decent housing, the
government has engaged in three series of actions among which is the upgrading housing
programme.
This programme which started in 1987 Dalifort (Pilot Project), was designed and
implemented with technical and financial support from the German Technical Cooperation
(Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit - GTZ) in 1987. It relies on the
involvement (financial and physical) of squatters' population in the improvement process
of their living conditions.
The programme's expected result is to achieve adequate shelter through an enabling
approach to shelter improvement which is environmentally sound, i.e actively promote the
legalization and upgrading of settlements.
The programme can be defined by four stages:
1. The pilot project (1987-1990)
Following the social and economic hardships created by the large-scale slum clearences in
1985, the Senegalese government decided, with the assistance of the German Technical
Cooperation, to experiment a new approach to uncontrolled settlements based on keeping
people where they already were and having them take part in the improvement of their
living environment.
The settlement chosen in which to implement the pilot project was "Dalifort", a
squatter of about 7,000 inhabitants, located between Dakar and Pikine and composed of
wooden shacks.
The strategy developed during that experiment was based on a permanent dialogue between
the administrative authorities and the populations, as well as on their participation in
all stages of the improvement process (planning, implementation, financing and
management).
In parallel to the physical upgrading of the area (streets, water, electricity, sanitation
and facilities), this approach insists on ensuring land security to people who had been
duely made census of. This condition being a key motivation for the populations, since it
made it possible for householders to make their situation legal.
Given the encouraging results of the Dalifort operation, the Senegalese authorities set
out to widen the scope of this approach and, with the June Presidential Decrees,
established a new policy of upgrading and legalization of uncontrolled settlements
(political will).
2. Enlargement of the scope of the approach (1991-1992)
Within the framework of this new policy, the programme's scope of intervention changed
from one settlement of 7,000 inhabitants to 9 settlements of 100,000 inhabitants who had
all expressed their wish to an upgrading and land legalization programme.
These settlements were selected according to their specific features, since the aim was to
implement and adapt the Dalifort experiment in rather different contexts, both from the
point of view of land and construction.
Taking into account the experience drawn from the pilot project, a definite but adaptable
programme of action was designed on the basis of the intervention strategy.
As to financial replicability, a Presidential Decree has created a revolving fund which is
fed by the population's financial contribution, the government, city councils and
international donor agencies.
3. Strenghtening the means and instruments (1993-1995)
While the programme is being implemented in the field, the aim of this stage is to
strenghten the administrative's means and to set up technical as well as legal and
financial instruments.
Thus the purpose is to sustain efforts to simplify land legalization procedures and
gradually set up a financial framework (FORREF).
At the institutional level, the creation of an active dialogue between all concerned
actors (Ministries, city councils, decentralized government agencies, NGOs) has been set
up.
4. An autonomous operator (1996-1998)
In order to consolidate the benefits reaped in that programme, to ensure its
sustainability, and to meet the growing demand of the government and the population for
settlement upgrading, the initial project unit should be adapted, its management and
follow-up capacities reinforced, together with its autonomous status as the coordinator of
various partners, both public and private.
With these new conditions, it has become necessary to think over the creation of an
operator, which, while separate from the administrative authorities, would still keep its
public and social missions. It would thus act as an active interface for the populations
as well as the national institutions and foreign partners.
Consequently, its autonomous status would clarify and simplify coordination and dialogue
between the ministries involved, the concessionary compagnies and others partners like
NGOs.
With foreign financing structures, it would serve as a technically relay-structure with
clearly defined rules.
And to support the decentralization process, it can act as a counsel-structure in order to
reinforce the actions of local organizations in the field of urban planning.
The programme has 5 main goals:
1. Land tenure security
As it can guarantee access to a legal situation for illegal settlers, and thus access to
security, land legalization become the mainspring of popular participation in the
improvement of their environment.
The growth of precarious housing is not always due to poverty but also to a feeling of
insecurity; consequently, access to land ownership encourages the owners to invest in
their houses.
The beneficiaries of this land security policy are identified at the beginning of the
operation by means of a census and a public verification of all the people eligible to it.
The principle being: one plot of land for one householder. At the end of the procedure, a
genuine title deed is given.
2. People's participation
The squatter's population or their representative take actively part in all stages of
their living conditions improvement process: decision-making, implementation, financing
and facilities management.
Once they have organized themselves as a "Groupement d'Interet Economique - GIE"
(Economic Interest Group), the population define their priority needs. All decision are
taken in common with due concern with their financial means.
As these various stages are gone through with the field workers of the project, there is
more clarity which, in turn incites people and the administration to develop confidence in
each other. At the squatter level, the principle of solidarity must be a prerequisite.The
improvement cost is equally and fairly alloted to all.
Although participation in the implementation is possible in some sites, especially in the
task of clearing public roads, the experience has shown that all civil engineering works
must be left to professionals.
3. Cost recovery and financial replicability
Project's beneficiaries are expected to pay for their plots. Cost recovery is intended to
ensure the financial replicability of the upgrading operation.
After its creation, the grouping (GIE) opens a bank account and collect its members shares
and savings. Plots prices are estimated including participation in the infrastructure
cost, land value, tax costs and registration fees.
Although each householder has to sign a deed of engagement, financial participation
remains a considerable risk. But it is atoned by a permanent discussion with the
population to make them aware of their benefits, a thorough follow-up and the setting up
of "soft" and gradual payment facilities like shares, shavings, preferential
lending rates.
4. Infrastructures: minimal intervention
An upgrading project for uncontrolled settlements cannot solve alone all problems related
to people's living conditions. This is a process and a challenge to many generations.
Considering the population financial implication, the project's intervention target
priorities and try to be limited in scope and time.
To respect to these criteria implies adapted planning to existing structures. If
necessary, such planning must be done without respect of prevailing urban norms and
standards.
5.Environment and management of the surrounding
Although the programme focuses on land legalization and upgrading, as far as the
improvement of people's surrounding is concerned, the programme cannot overlook all
problems linked to the economic and physical environment.
Actions in that field (garbage collection and compost-making, public conveniences
management, nutrition education programme follow-up, self-managed credit fund...) belong
to one aspect of the project.
Impact
Land title to more than 500 inhabitants in Dalifort, water supply connection,
electricity, garbage collection and individual sanitation.
Sustainability
The strategy developed during the pilot project was based on a permanent dialogue
between the administrative authorities (the project) and the populations, as well as on
their participation in all levels of the improvement process of their environment
(decision-making, planning, implementation, financing and management).
Besides physical upgrading actions for water supply, electricity, sanitation and social
facilities, the project has provided land title to better-off people.
The Senegalese authorities have widen the scope of the approach in establishing a new
policy of upgrading and legalization of uncontolled settlements.
Taking into account the experience drawn from the pilot project, a define but adaptable
programme of action has been designed on the basis of the intervention strategy.
As to financial replicability, a revolving fund has been created. It is fed by the
population's financial contributions, the government, city councils and internationalo
donor agencies.
The government is working out on strenghtening the administrative means and setting up
technical as well as legal and financial instruments.
At the institutional level, the creation of an active dialogue between all concerned
actors (Ministries, city councils, decentralized government agencies, NGOs) has been set
up.
Contact
Sponsor
Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit, Germany
Hd. Frau Vogel
OE 1015
Postfach 5180
65726 Eschborn
Germany
Partners
Landing SANE
Projet DUA/GTZ
BP.253 Dakar
Senegal
221 22 89 02
Jean Louis de Bie
Projet DUA/GTZ
BP 253 Dakar
Senegal
221 22 89 02
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