What we do
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Organised communities from informal settlements who seek to improve their livelihoods by accessing the government subsidy via the ‘Peoples Housing Process’ have to go through bureaucratic red-tape, observing countless policies, regulations and procedures which are not pro-poor.
PEP provides technical assistance to these communities in identifying appropriate land & negotiate with local authorities with regards to the land where they currently live, conduct feasibility study, planning & environmental studies, accessing government subsidy, manage work of other professionals, design & construction.
PEP trains community-based construction management teams to be able to manage the planning, design and construction of their developments. The curriculum includes government housing policies,
planning & environmental regulations; feasibility study, project preparation; technical skills such as bricklaying, plastering, and carpentry. Financial management, procurement, communication and negotiation are also part of the curriculum.
Research into Alternative Building Methods
PEP has been in the forefront of conducting research into alternative building methods for the victims of fire and floods in the informal settlements around South Africa. We are currently compiling community user friendly ‘Manual’ which will include studies settlement layout/ orientation, density, location in urban area, energy efficiency, locally available alternative building materials, renewable energy generation, rainwater harvesting, grey water reuse, recycling and local economic development.
Project Management and other support