For Luanda, the onset of neoliberalism offers an ad-hoc method of city planning in which a centralised government deliniates areas for building purposes while at the same time owning most of the land in the periphery of the city. Foreplanning is excluded as part of this strategy in favour of speculation and ìmaking-doî, selling and renting plots of land to single and corporate, national and international entrepreneurs – while at the same time taking upon itself the mamoth task of housing and service provision.

Herein lies the opportunity to plan and explore ways of integrating existing methods of space making with emerging interests. We know that fostering the typology of the market means fostering local employment opportunities, and we also know that investment often brings with it the infrastructure that is overtly used by those who the city does not plan for. It is in this light that the marketplace offers us the opportunity to make a space whose functions advances the common urban interests of the everyday user.

African urban typologies  

 Arial photo of Luanda

Praca dos Congolese

 
Architectural Project

This case study was presented on August 12, 2013 by DW director Allan Cain during the Panel on Opportunities in Housing Microfinance in Africa during the 6th African Microfinance Conference in Durban, South Africa. The panel was planned as a practitioner session, intended to showcase how the day to day business of Housing Micro-Finance (HMF) happens in various countries across the continent. To paint this picture, practitioners were invited from both the private and public sector in order to illustrate insights, reflections and facts on HMF practice in various African countries.
 
The presentations were presented as case studies and structured to respond to the following issues:

• Why housing microfinance? Why is HMF an important element of lending operations?
• The operating environment: Some basic insights into the policy and legislative environment in the country (be it financial, housing, land, local government, infrastructure), how conducive it is to what is done, and what the challenges are
• The market, and who it is: what characterizes the demand for HMF products, income and socio-economic status, peculiarities of this market, are you meeting the demand, etc
• The players in the HMF in the case study country
• Funding and capital for housing micro-finance, how available, pricing and related issues  
• Some pointers from a practitioner, things to have in mind and be mindful of when doing HMF
• Any new and innovative products in your offerings that you would like to highlight
• Opportunities and challenges in the practice, going forward. Why is HMF a compelling product going forward, what opportunities does it provide, and what are   the big challenges you are facing to achieve your future vision

For an interesting, related blog post see HMF can grow a “saturated” microfinance market on the Centre for Affordable Housing Financa in Africa’s blog.

Panel on Opportunities in Housing Microfinance in Africa panelists

Click to download the other panel presentations:

    
Building on the Basics of Housing Micro-Finance          Opportunities in Housing Microfinance
Jamie Ritchie, Rooftops Canada                                 Mary Mathenge – NACHU

    
Investor Climate for Housing Microfinance in Africa      Uganda MFI Housing Loan Product
Clemens Gerteiser, Triple Jump                                  Mr. Wilson Twamuhabwa, UGAFODE

   
Policy Development – The Tanzanian Case                  YOSEFO Housing Loans Tanzania
Judith Sando, WAT- Human Settlements Trust            Altemius Millinga, YOSEFO

   
State of Housing Microfinance in Africa                      Rural Housing Loan Fund South Africa
Wagane Diouf, Urbanis Africa                                   Tsaliko Ntoampe, RHLF

Portugal nunca teve facilidade na conquista de Angola – sempre houve muita resistência em todas as regiões de Angola. A Revolta do Bailundo (1902) foi a guerra mais importante na conquista do planalto de Angola. A principal questão de investigação era: quais foram as forças principais na história colonial de Angola no fim do século 19, início do século 20?

A pesquisa se ​​propôs a abordar os seguintes objectivos: criar uma imagem da realidade social de Angola colonial no final do século 19/início do século 20; esclarecer o contexto internacional; entender o contexto local; identificar os fatores que levaram à revolta; estabelecer uma hierarquia de importância de causas; dar a devida importância aos fatores não económicos.

A causa primária da guerra era a necessidade de Portugal de legitimar o seu projeto colonial nos olhos das potências europeias (principalmente Grã Bretanha), mas também nos olhos dos angolanos. Os colonos preocupavam-se muito com a sua falta de prestígio, dentro e fora de Angola. Queriam tomar de vez o planalto para mostrar o seu poder e solidificar sua soberania. As causas secundárias da guerra foram: a queda do preço da borracha; a crise de autoridade entre os reinos Ovimbundu; a falta de entendimento em termos sociais (a dívida de aguardente, o caso da mulher do rei); o descontentamento com os abusos das autoridades portugueses e dos comerciantes contra os Ovimbundu; e a questão de abusos foi a única constante nas análises após a Revolta – cada grupo culpava ao outro

Conclusões da Pesquisa são os seguintes:

• Não há só uma razão que tenha levado à Revolta do Bailundo
• Uns historiadores tem argumentado que foi a primeira instância de unidade étnica dos Ovimbundu
• Mas há muita evidência ao contrário – Bailundo e Bié ainda eram rivais, e o Rei do Bié não participou da Revolta
• Houve casos de traições e alianças com os portugueses durante a revolta
• Os missionários protestantes acreditavam que a Revolta fosse uma demostração de desgosto com o sistema de trabalho forçado e o comércio de “serviçais” mandados para São Tomé
• Os missionários eram contra a escravatura e o aguardente e uma grande parte da missão deles em Angola foi a abolição
• Os líderes da Revolta eram elites, autoridades tradicionais, que também vendiam e compravam serviçais

Pacificador do Bimbe e os seus vencidos 1904

Portugal implementou uma política agressiva 1890 até 1904

Vassalagem dos vencidos do Bimbe 1904