The House Repair For The Poor Programme was initiated by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) in 2016 with the purpose to improve the quality of life of the poor by repairing their houses that are in poor condition. This house repair programme is one of the goals under the 10th and 11th Malaysian Plans of reducing the incidences of poverty and in line with Sustainable Development Goal 2030 (SDG 2030). The funding for the programme is from KPKT whereas the Padawan Municipal Council is the implementer.
The house repair assistance for the poor programme under the urban poverty eradication programme in Majlis Perbandaran Padawan (MPP) aims at reducing poverty by improving the houses of the poor. The goal is to ensure that the basic needs of the poor that is their houses are safe and comfortable. With the repairs to the houses, the houses will be liveable and safe thus improving the well-being of the poor.
Target Group is the poor with the head of household status verified as poor in the B40 group in the eKasih system and living in MPP area. The eKasih system is a database system that was developed to assist the government of Malaysia to plan, implement and monitor poverty eradication programmes and monitor the effectiveness of the programmes.
“Providing a decent habitat is a powerful weapon for banishing poverty”. With the house repair programme, the houses for the poor will be habitable, safe and comfortable homes for them. With a decent house, the head of the household need not worry about the safety of his family living in a dilapidated house. With the little that he earns, he will be able to provide more for his family without having to spend on house repairs. A decent house will provide stability to the poor.
PROJECT RESULT
| Year | Number of poor families | Project Cost (RM) |
| 2016 | 3 | RM29,874.68 |
| 2017 | 23 | RM344,493.04 |
| 2018 | 27 | RM404,564.05 |
| 2019 | 30 | RM446,744.87 |
| 2020 | 31 | RM465,000.00 |
| Total | 114 |
Poor families who are recipients of the house repair assistance:
The house repairs included repairs or replacement of roofs, ceiling, walls, floors, windows, doors, stairs and toilets / sanitation. With an allocation of RM15,000.00 per house, the priority is to maximise the house repair to ensure that the house is safe and habitable.
WHAT IMPACT HAS THIS PROJECT CREATED IN THE COMMUNITY/ NATION?
A proper house has a social, health and economic impact on the poor.
Health Impact: Inadequate or unsanitary living conditions contribute to the spread of diseases which adds to health care costs, prevents individuals from working and threatens the well-being of people living there. Proper toilets are constructed and new septic tanks are also installed to ensure the effluents are discharged properly. Good sanitation and hygiene prevent the spread of diseases caused by vectors such as mosquitoes and rodents.
Social and Economic Impact: The number of poor coming out of poverty in MPP area has increased from 1,807 in 2016 to 2,440 in January 2020. The number of poor families has been reduced by 633 families or 35% over the period of 4 years. These statistics showed that there is an increase in the number of poor families coming out of poverty over the period of 2016 to 2019 in MPP area.
HOW WAS THIS PROJECT HELP TO ADVANCE THE CHOSEN SDG?
The house repair for the poor programme gives the poor a house that is liveable and safe. With a decent house, the head of the household can provide better for his family. The security and pride of the family also increased with a decent house to live in. The house repair assistance is able to reduce the burden and uplift the poor.
The house repair for the poor assistance had improved the well-being of the poor and alleviated poverty in MPP area. “Providing a decent habitat is a powerful weapon for banishing poverty”. This
has proven to be true and is an outcome of the house repair of the poor programme.
THE TAGLINE FOR UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (UNSDGs) IS “LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND.” PLEASE EXPLAIN HOW YOUR PROJECT HELPS TO REALIZE THE COMMITMENT OF UNSDGS FOR THE FUTURE. HIGHLIGHT ANY OTHER SDG(s) THAT YOUR PROJECT HAS DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY CREATED POSITIVE IMPACT TO PEOPLE AND SOCIETY
MPP as a local authority strongly believes that effective public-private and civil society partnerships is the key toward improving the quality of life of residents in MPP area. We empower the communities to take care of the environment, to take care of each other especially the poor and ensuring that no one is left behind.
Other SDGs that this project has directly or indirectly created positive impact to people and society:
- Goal 3: Good health and well-being for people
- Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities
- Goal 17: Partnerships for the goals
