The Malawian government has announced plans to revive a home ownership scheme aimed at providing communities with stronger, more resilient housing.
Minister of Lands Deus Gumba made the announcement on Friday during a demonstration of resilient housing models in Chikwawa District. The event was organized by Illovo Sugar Malawi Plc in partnership with Catholic Relief Services (CRS).
Gumba said the government is committed to making housing more accessible and has urged financial institutions to introduce mortgage schemes to help citizens secure loans for home construction.
“We are already making progress, but we have also appealed to lending institutions to put in place mortgage schemes so that people can start building houses before retirement,” he said.
The initiative has led to the construction of three prototype houses, each designed to withstand extreme weather conditions. The models include a transitional house by CRS, a government-designed house based on national housing standards, and a third model developed by Illovo Sugar Malawi Plc.
Kondwani Msimuko, Acting Managing Director of Illovo Sugar Malawi Plc, said the project aims to promote affordable and durable housing.
“This is about more than just shelter. We are empowering communities to adopt sustainable housing solutions that support economic growth and resilience,” he said.
CRS Country Representative Sekai Mudonhi said the organization partnered with Illovo Sugar Malawi Plc after identifying the vulnerability of homes in the Southern Region to natural disasters such as heavy rains and cyclones.
The initiative is part of wider efforts to improve housing in Malawi, particularly in disaster-prone areas, and ensure communities have access to safe and secure homes.
