UPDF Cambodia 10th Year Anniversay 1998 - 2008
The Urban Poor Development Fund (UPDF) was set up in March 1998, as a joint venture of Phnom Pen's network of community savings groups, the Municipality of Phnom Penh and the Asian Coalition for Housing Rights. The idea was to create a revolving fund to provide soft loans to poor communities for their housing and income generation initiatives, through their savings groups, and to use the fund to pool efforts in partnership and development in the city. It has evolved beyond these initial aims and ACHR has produced a 20 page Newsletter to explain how.
You can download the newsletter in PDF format from Here
Understanding Asian Cities - Preservation for People
Historic districts in Asian Cities often preserve traditional social networks and traditional building skills, and in a rapidly-changing world represent values and identity. In practical terms, old urban districts also offer affordable housing to low-income communities. All too often, when the heritage aspect is "discovered", in the case of Beijing but also elsewhere, the low-income communities are pushed out, and traditional intangible structures also disappear.
Over the coming weeks ACHR will publish its findings on how the urban poor are fairing in World Heritage cities in Asia such as Lijiang in China, Pagan in Burma. Lunag Prabang in Laos, Hoi An in Vietnam, Penang in Malaysia and Kyoto, Japan.
Lijiang in China: Many we interviewed felt everything was better before Lijiang became a famous tourist site 10 years ago, because it has made everybody money-minded, and made it difficult and expensive for ordinary people to live in the town. Others said their lives had improved compared to before, and that many people prefer to live off the rents of their ancient houses which have become tourist shops rented by the wealthy from all over China. Our report on Lijiang starts here.
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Urban Poor Asia and Africa
“The looting, arson and destruction of property that has taken place is not a simple law and order situation. It has to be understood that you cannot create small islands of insensitive and arrogant affluence in a sea of increasing poverty and deprivation on the one hand and a ruthlessly manipulated political and judicial dispensation on the other.”
Kenya , Pakistan or Mother Earth ??? .... writings from ACHR / SDI friends on events in Kenya and Pakistan here
ACHR's Newsletter : Housing By People No. 17 is out this month
A 36 page SPECIAL ISSUE on the FUNDS poor communities put together and manage themselves.
BEYOND Savings .... to Community Funds
You can request a hard copy from ACHR or download from our Library here
Preview Front Page Here
World Habitat Day - Week in Thailand Oct 1 - 7th 2007
Habitat Week in Thailand sees the inauguration of over 80 upgrading projects for poor communities, plus seminars and celebrations in nearly 40 provinces all over the country. Mayors, Governors, Academics, Community leaders, NGOs, international and national exchanges - an interactive habitat extravaganza.
More here. Also visit celebrations and projects in Udonthani and Chantaburi
Young Professionals Sept 18
Activities Brief Jan - June 2007 and UPDF YPs
Eviction Threats in Jakarta Sept 3 2007
Update on Evictions in Jakarta, Indonesia here
Urban Poor Cambodia Diary -
An update from a visit 4th August 2007
Up-grading - Evictions- Land Speculation
UPDF Plans and Stat.s Notes from Somsook Boonyabancha
Tsunami survivors share stories of rebuilding
A story in the New Orleans City Business Newspaper
July 9, 2007 here
Urban Poor Development Fund - UPDF - expands to Cambodia's provincial towns here
For those with fast internet links ... go here to see a preview of ACHR's new DVD on the Exchange visit of hurricane Katrina survivors visiting Tsunami survivors in Thailand and Aceh.
ACHR Exchange Calendar for 2007 has been updated.
With action plans for activities in the next few months
Here May 21 2007
Cambodia Update
Apartments for the Poor in Borrie Kiella, Phnom Penh
Demonstrating a Feasible Alternative to Evictions
More here
Update Cambodia
After 3 years of community up-grading .... here
New Orleans Survivors Exchange with Thailand
Over the past few days survivors from New Orleans Hurricane Katrina ordeal have been visiting tsunami affected communities in southern Thailand. Sept 13 - 17 they will visit survivors in Aceh, Indonesia. They are part of a series of ACHR's Survivors' Dialogue Exchanges to promote people centred recovery efforts.
Full report on the first days in Thailand can be downloaded from HERE.
27 pages PDF text and photos 1.4 mgbs
Some photos only - here
Tibet Heritage Fund - UNESCO Award HERE Congratulations to Andre and the team
Development Reform - February 2006
Pakistan Karachi
International Loans and the Failure of Urban Development
PAKISTAN
Update on OPP- RTI
ACHR and HABITAT DAY 2005
10,000 slum dwellers at Suan Luang, Bangkok
150 community leaders and others from 15 countries
A thousand or so suit-less community people at UN-ESCAP
Field visits to 10 Thai Cities to see people centred city-wide up-grading
- Brief Report
THAILAND
Ban Mankong Handbook
The Handbook details City Wide Upgrading
in
13 Cities in Thailand - Download from Here
