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This page shares insights and observations from Inform2Build’s field visits across informal settlements in Sub-Saharan Africa. Through conversations with residents, community leaders, builders, and local organizations, the project documents everyday construction practices, materials, and the challenges people face when building and improving their homes.
Here you will find short reflections, photos, and key lessons emerging from our fieldwork. Each entry highlights local knowledge, practical solutions, and community perspectives that shape housing in informal settlements.
These field notes offer a window into the realities on the ground and complement the stories and updates we share on LinkedIn. For deeper context and reflections, follow the links in each post to read more.
Community-Led Housing for Women Living with HIV in Uganda
During a field visit in Kampala, the Inform2Build team met with the organization SSA - Shelter and Settlements Alternative - to examine their community-based housing initiative supporting women living with HIV in an informal settlement in Uganda. The project provides secure housing for 24 women identified as highly vulnerable due to the combined effects of poverty, health-related stigma, and limited access to formal housing markets.
The initiative is structured around a housing cooperative model designed to strengthen collective ownership while ensuring long-term affordability. Participating women organized themselves into a cooperative to address the discrimination and economic exclusion they face due to their HIV status. Access to the housing program requires each member to demonstrate commitment through three main contributions: (1) savings toward an initial down payment, (2) participation in the construction process through sweat equity, and (3) the payment of a modest monthly fee to service the housing loan. Under this arrangement, property titles will gradually be transferred to cooperative members over a period of approximately 20–25 years, allowing residents to progressively build formal ownership while maintaining affordability.
The housing units are constructed using interlocking stabilized soil blocks (ISSBs), a building technology developed at Makerere University in Kampala. These blocks are produced from a mixture of locally available soil, sand, cement, and water, and are compressed using a manual press. Their interlocking design significantly reduces the need for mortar compared to conventional masonry systems, lowering construction costs and material consumption while maintaining structural stability.
Although ISSB technology was initially developed for rainwater harvesting systems, SSA adapted the method for housing construction. A key component of the project is the local production of building materials, with community members producing the blocks on-site using a manual press. This approach reduces transportation costs, supports local skill development, and increases community participation in the building process.
Initial implementation faced skepticism among community members, particularly regarding the durability and safety of the construction system. Through demonstration houses and hands-on participation in the building process, SSA was able to gradually build trust and acceptance of the technology.
To date, 24 housing units have been completed, providing stable housing to cooperative members. Additional funding is currently being sought to construct the remaining 10 units planned for the settlement, which would complete the cooperative housing cluster.
Beyond the physical housing provision, the project illustrates how community organization, incremental finance mechanisms, and locally appropriate construction technologies can work together to address housing insecurity among marginalized urban populations.
Traditional Limestone-Based Masonry in Zanzibar
During fieldwork in Zanzibar, the Inform2Build team encountered a masonry wall whose material composition was not immediately identifiable. Through the support of Mohamed Ali from the Zanzibar Research Centre for Socio-Economic and Policy Analysis (ZRCP), the team visited a community located near the island’s airport and spoke with a local community leader about the construction techniques used in the settlement. According to residents, many of the houses built using this method have remained in use for nearly a century.
The walls are constructed using a traditional stone-and-sand masonry system comparable to techniques observed in coastal settlements such as Mombasa. The structural walls consist of locally sourced stones bound together with a mortar produced within the community. This mortar is composed of local sand mixed with choka, a powder derived from naturally occurring limestone deposits found across the island.
Material composition varies geographically across Zanzibar due to differences in locally available sand. In the southeastern areas of the island, where the sand is predominantly white, walls tend to have a lighter finish. In contrast, houses located closer to Stone Town often exhibit darker tones, reflecting the greyish color of sand found in that region. These subtle variations illustrate how local geological conditions influence the appearance and composition of vernacular architecture.
Limestone, a sedimentary rock formed through the accumulation of marine organisms’ skeletal fragments or through the precipitation of calcium carbonate from mineral-rich water, plays a central role in this construction system. In contemporary construction industries, limestone is widely known as the primary raw material used in cement production. In the case of this vernacular technique, however, limestone is processed locally into choka and incorporated directly into the mortar mixture, demonstrating an alternative pathway for the use of mineral resources in low-cost construction.
Because these masonry walls are typically left unprotected by external coatings or modern sealants, maintenance is continuous but relatively simple. Residents periodically repair or renew the mortar, allowing structures to remain functional over long periods while preserving the original construction method. This incremental maintenance practice reflects a broader pattern in vernacular building traditions, where durability is achieved through regular care rather than complete replacement.
The longevity of these houses—some approaching a century of use—demonstrates the resilience of locally adapted construction techniques. The system relies on locally available materials, community knowledge, and accumulated building experience, highlighting how traditional construction practices remain relevant for sustainable housing solutions. For Inform2Build, such examples illustrate the importance of documenting and learning from locally embedded knowledge systems that connect building practices to environmental conditions and community life.
