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Lafarge and the French Development Agency (AFD) concluded a partnership early 2013 in order to promote microfinance for housing in Sub-Saharan Africa as well as in the Mediterranean Basin. The objective: contribute to offer more housing units in the cities by providing poor families with the financing to build or improve their homes.

Helping the poorest to build, extend or renovate their homes

Early 2013, we concluded a partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD). The objective: allowing low income families to fund the construction, extension or renovation of their home, by supporting the development of microfinance for housing in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Mediterranean Basin.

Following our collaboration with the American organization Global Communities (formerly CHF), this agreement with the AFD allows us carrying on the deployment of our Housing Microfinance Program in the African continent. Launched in June 2012, it feeds one of our 2020 Sustainability Ambitions: facilitating the access to affordable and sustainable housing for 2 million people by 2020.

This new partnership is also part of our ambition to provide innovative solutions contributing to create more housing in cities, by addressing the housing for all concern, and affordable housing.

Gérard Kuperfarb, Lafarge Group Executive VP Innovation

« This collaboration is a boost for the development of our projects in the affordable housing field. Thanks to our common knowledge, new prospects are now open to propose affordable, customized and sustainable solutions to an increasing number of persons. »

 

Lafarge Housing Microfinance Program

Since the launch of our program in June 2012, we started pilot projects in 8 countries:

  • Cameroon
  • France
  • Honduras
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Nigeria
  • Philippines
  • Zambia

 
Our objective is to invest 10M Euros over the next two years.

How does it work?

The AFD brings its experience of over 70 years in the financing and assistance of the projects aiming at sustainably improving populations' life conditions, mainly in Africa. Through its local agencies, it will implement financing systems as well as a financial technical assistance, for microfinance institutions (IMF) chosen in consultation with Lafarge.

On its side, Lafarge offers its expertise in materials and affordable housing. We will assist the borrowers during the various stages of their construction project, thanks to trained and supervised advisors who offer a customized support, such as the visit of an architect, or the execution of plans.

The operational objective is to assist two or three IMF partners along the duration of the partnership. In order to ensure this initiative is maintained over time, Lafarge will implement projects relying on sustainable business models. We started a first collaboration in Nigeria!

Jean-Yves Grosclaude, AFD Operation Director

« This partnership is both an opportunity for the AFD to develop cooperation with an important French Group, and to reinforce our interventions in the field of housing microfinance. This first innovative cooperation with Lafarge, will allow us sharing experience and knowledge in the field of access to housing through microfinance. »

The French Development Agency (AFD)

The French Development Agency (AFD) is a public institution operating in four continents where it has a network of 70 agencies and representation offices worldwide. It finances and assists in projects aiming at improving populations' life conditions, supporting economic growth and protecting the planet. In 2011, the AFD dedicated more than €6.9Bn for the financing of actions in the developing countries and in French overseas regions.

 

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AMBITIONS 2020