Urban Development: The CHF International Approach

3.3 billion people –more than half the world’s population - live in cities. By 2030 this  number is expected to swell to 5 billion. This exponential growth will be most visible in Africa and Asia, where the urban population is anticipated to double over the next two decades. 

CHF understands the economic and social forces that drive communities across the globe to move towards cities, and their motivations for seeking a better life. However, new arrivals to cities frequently find themselves relegated to slums - neglected districts lacking even the most basic shelter, water, sanitation, education or health services. 

But while the overwhelming poverty and unprecedented growth of slums appears daunting, a closer look reveals tremendous potential, capability and hope. The same aspirations that bring people to the slums drive them to overcome the limitations of their conditions. A close examination of any slum reveals entrepreneurs developing the private sector which represents the best hope of escaping the cycle of poverty.

CHF is harnessing this hope by developing community-driven slum-upgrading initiatives. We are bringing slum residents, NGOs, private sector companies, and local governments together to create projects that improve living conditions within urban areas in a sustainable way. We make this happen through processes that fully engage local residents from the outset, and that give them the skills and resources to continue development efforts independently long after we have left.

CHF began working in urban cooperative housing in the 1950s, and today our urban development efforts span the globe. Learning plays a critical role in our process, and we collaborate with our local partners to build models for effective, enduring and replicable urban development efforts.

Want to know more?

Read about our core competencies in urban development or for more in depth information about CHF International’s urban development practices, read these case studies on India, Ghana and South Africa. The case studies focus on CHF’s approach, the challenges in each case, lessons learned and best practice.

Download our Urban Development Factsheet.