Shelter for Africa's homeless population : preparations towards the International Year of Shelter for the Homeless (IYSH)

Abstract

A sizeable proportion of Africa's population live under indigent (Shelter) conditions that could best be termed homeless. This phenomenon pertains to both urban and rural sectors of the region. For the rural areas, man-made and natural disasters have been the major causes of homelessness. With prolonged drought, desertification has taken root particularly in the Sahel, rendering several rural people homeless. Another source of natural disaster which has been a major cause of homelessness in both rural and urban localities is cyclonic storms. These have caused devastating effects on several landed property and left many people homeless.