Objectives
As part of a pilot project supporting vulnerable communities led by the Beninese Red Cross and the Luxembourgish Red Cross, CRAterre was commissioned to conduct a participatory analysis of local housing in two pilot districts in southern Benin, located in the Mono and Ouémé departments.
This mission took place in a context marked by recurrent flooding, whose frequency, intensity and social and economic consequences have increased in recent years, severely affecting populations, particularly in the municipalities of Athiémé (Mono) and Dangbo (Ouémé).
The project enabled the active involvement of the communities and the local stakeholders throughout the process, the training of local teams in participatory housing analysis, and the production of shared data on housing typologies, construction practices and social dynamics related to housing. It also led to the identification of key actors and the formulation of operational recommendations aimed at guiding the design of sustainable, accessible and culturally relevant housing solutions, within a perspective of climate and community resilience.
Overall, this work sought to strengthen a contextual and multidimensional understanding of housing, linking cultural, social, economic, environmental, technical and governance dimensions.
Results
- Communities and local stakeholders involved throughout the process and ownership of the results.
- Local teams trained in participatory housing analysis and able to continue the process.
- Clear characterization of local building cultures (typologies, materials, know-how, performance).
- Analysis of housing patterns and social dynamics related to housing.
- Mapping of key stakeholders (institutions, crafts, training, businesses).
- Operational recommendations to guide appropriate, sustainable, and feasible housing projects in southern Benin.
Partners
AICRL, Benin Red Cross
Funding
International aid from the Luxembourg Red Cross (AICRL)
