Housing NOW

Solution Pitch

The Problem

Due to the effects of the war and increasing poverty in Myanmar, millions of people have been displaced and are in great need of decent housing.

The Solution

Housing NOW envisions a new construction process that utilizes an abundant and cheap, small-diameter bamboo species available on the local market, to build low-cost housing in Myanmar. It is a hybrid construction process that includes prefabrication and community-participatory processes. The objective is to provide a new housing solution in a situation of political turmoil.

Stats

• The pilot project is underway and involves the construction of six housing units. 

• The first construction of the pilot project is in a Chin-State refugee camp in Hmawbi. The community wants to use this opportunity to build a preschool; the two donated housing units will be combined into a single classroom to accommodate 20 kids.

Market Opportunity

Housing NOW operates in the housing (refugee/low-cost housing) market led by NGOs and development agencies. eg: UNHCR 2022 budget in Myanmar: $57 million. The solution design makes the implementation quick, cheap, and can simplify administrative procedures. This year, the total number of Internally Displaced People (IDP) in the country rose above 1 million.

Organization Highlights

Raised money to build six houses that are currently being donated to organizations in charge of housing projects for refugee camps and/or slums in Myanmar. Through this pilot project, Housing NOW aims to start a conversation that will eventually lead to a partnership. Potential partner organizations include:

• Medical Action Myanmar (MAM)

• SONNE-International

• Myanmar - UNHCR

• Habitat for Humanity Myanmar

Partnership Goals

Housing NOW seeks:

• Exposure through speaking opportunities

• Help in getting into architecture events, to represent the under-represented country of Myanmar and showcase this project

• Help in scaling up the solution

• Expertise in working with bamboo product