Cities Alliance has announced a Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Commitment to Action to achieve transformative change in the West African country of Liberia. This new commitment will help improve the lives of over 400,000 slum dwellers and street vendors in Greater Monrovia over the next five years.
Their Commitment to Action, From Divisive Crisis to Inclusive Cities: Catalyzing Transformative Partnerships in Greater Monrovia, will invest in community driven infrastructure, affordable housing and basic services. It will also strengthen the capacity of city governments and produce the country’s first National Urban Policy.
Almost a quarter of the people in Liberia live in the slums of Greater Monrovia. Every single day they face the challenges of living in poor housing, with inadequate water supply, and very little sanitation. The 2014 Ebola outbreak had a devastating impact on Liberia. As well as those who lost family members, thousands of people lost their jobs and livelihoods.
The commitment will mobilise slum dwellers and street vendors and equip them to improve their own lives. Access to improved data on informal settlements and community grants will support slum upgrading including improved sanitation and the creation of affordable housing. Communities and local governments will also be supported to create vibrant associations.
Cities Alliance will work with its member organisations and commitment partners to deliver these results, including Habitat for Humanity International, UN-Habitat, Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing, Shack/Slum Dwellers International, and United Cities and Local Governments Africa.
Click here to read more about the project.
Cities Alliance has previously funded several AAPS projects, including the partnership between AAPS and SDI. Click here to read a recent blog about an AAPS-SDI collaborative learning studio in Kenya, funded by Cities Alliance.
