Mr. Kebede Abebe:

We work with the Government of Ethiopia but the government does not involve us in its planning. The NGOs are regarded as a kind of service-provider and gap-filler. That is how we are regarded. In most cases as government observes our work the relationship has grown stronger over time.

In most cases, on the basis of the work we do, the relationship has grown stronger over time, which is very encouraging. In the case of the slum upgrading we do in Addis Ababa, for example, the different offices of the Government have provided a range of supports, from giving us building permits to providing locations for the storage of materials.

There is an issue in terms of planning. In the case of the slums of Addis Ababa, as it stands we are basically performing a firefighting exercise, trying to keep the houses from falling down on the people. The idea of planning becomes a type of luxury and we can only prioritise the repair of dwellings. Ultimately, however, there has to be a long-term solution to this generational issue. That is why we are appealing to the committee to help us, as members of the international community, by adding their voice to ours. We are hoping the Irish Government will encourage governments in places like my country to give the issue of housing greater attention. Domestic effort is critical but, unfortunately, encouragement must come from countries like Ireland.

There was a question around the sustainability, durability and quality of the houses we built. We are trying to optimise quality relative to cost, while taking account of practical issues and the question of deliverability. At the moment, the option we have taken is to make improvements to the traditional construction systems. Houses are built mostly from soil and wood, but people fail to do proper cladding and foundations. This is where we have focused our improvements and they have been very successful. Certainly, these houses are much more durable than concrete or brick houses. They do not require a special foundation; because of their elastic nature, they can be built on settling soils, hard rocks and so on. The quality control requirement in that regard is not too intensive.

We are aware of the importance of durability. We do not build houses to last five, ten years or even 20 years. That time is over before one knows it. Sustainability is another issue but we are also making it happen. Regarding the quality of engineering work, it is an issue of concern to me. I am always very concerned about engineering education and practice. It is a question of making engineers aware of the importance of serving poor people by providing them with housing. My experience is that they are there to serve better-off people. I was agonised by how poor people live, so I forced myself to change career and become involved in the service of the poor.