Last Updated on: 21st November 2023, 11:26 pm
Victims of displacement are often left without a secure home for years, however, a partnership between Nostos Homes and Habitat for Humanity in Malawi is hoping to challenge this narrative.
The two organisations have built a community of modular homes in Phalombe, Malawi, an area ravaged by Cyclone Gombe, in less than a week. 350,000 nights of shelter have already been provided to families in the area.
Single mother of three, Ethel Chamba, 35, and her family have moved into a new Nostos home made using mild steel frames and insulated PUF panels. The design is both durable, wind-resistant and has a lifespan of 20 years at half the cost of a traditional brick and mortar house.
Madhav Datt, Chairman of Nostos, commented: “It is inspiring to see displaced families in Malawi use Nostos Homes as a mechanism to rebuild their lives.”
The modular homes follow a prefabricated mode of construction, meaning all the parts are manufactured separately and then assembled at the deployment site. Nostos have partnered with Modulus Homes, an innovative prefab start-up in India, to manufacture the homes in their factory.
The home design was conceived by Kaushal Shetty, CEO of Nostos Homes, while he was studying architecture. He realised in order to sustainably break the cycle of displacement, families had to be given strong, climate-resistant homes quickly.
The project was funded by corporate philanthropy from companies such as Goldman Sachs and Mastercard. It has also gained international acclaim from HRH Prince William and the World Bank.
The Malawi Government have also offered their full support, with Peter Chimangeni, Director at the Department of Disaster Management Affairs, saying: “We are deeply appreciative of the life-changing work that Habitat for Humanity and Nostos have done for people who lost their homes in the devastation caused by Cyclone Gombe.”
Ethel Chamba, a victim of displacement, has now moved into her new home. She said: “Having a home of my own now allows me to once again believe that life can get better. My children can finally have some peace in their lives.”
A partnership between Nostos Homes and Habitat for Humanity in Malawi has successfully built a community of modular homes in Phalombe, providing 350,000 nights of shelter to displaced families. The homes have been made using mild steel frames and insulated PUF panels and can be built in under a day, offering a durable and wind-resistant design with a lifespan of 20 years at half the cost of a traditional brick and mortar house. The project has been funded by corporate philanthropy and has received extensive support from the Malawi Government and international acclaim.
