5) Description of housing product/service offering: Since 1986 Saiban has been providing solutions to low income and marginalized populations. The urban centers of Pakistan are being choked by mass migrations from rural areas with people in search of livelihoods. Not having access to affordable housing, the low income populations start to build illegal settlements through the informal sector. This process leads to catasrophic results in society, leaving the actual low income populations most vulnberable to various forms of exploitations. With years of research, Saiban has provided various models of development for populations earning US$1-7/day. The model we utilize is an unorthodox in the field of housing development. In normal developments the cycle is as follows: 1) land purchase, 2) infrastructure development, 3) housing construction, 4) residents. In our model we utilize the following cycle: 1) land purchase, 2) residents, 3) housing, 4) infrastructure development. The process we utilize automatically allows our target population to afford the product in easy installments and provides them the realization of a life-long dream: legal title of a piece of land. Once on the land, they begin to slowly build their homes. With the minimal monthly payments, they begin to develop the infrastructure of the entire housing scheme: first water, then electricity, then sewage, then roads, then gas, then phone lines. As that process continues, our social mobilization units come into action. They liaise with other NGOs and businesses to establish schools, hospitals, grocery stores, etc to help facilitate the development of a viable and viabrant community.

6) Description of innovation: As you read through the various sections, you will come to see that we have developed our products and services to differ from the existing programs at various segements of the life cycle. First and foremost, we take a macro- approach to the housing problem and do not focus on one area. We start with the basic right of every human to have shelter and take that basic right and convert it into a the realization of a dream for our target population. That dream is where marginalized populations see their children going to well reputed schools and playing in open parks with other children. It is our screening process, our financing schemes, our technical low cost construction advice to new homeowners, our social mobilization teams and social support network-- and much more that gives us the incremental developmental housing project for low-income and marginalized populations.

7) Benefits to clients: Land prices are extremely high within the urban centers of our country. When a housing scheme is initially announced in a semi-reputable area, speculators and investors tend to purchase the plots in bulk. These same investors hold onto the plots until the values increase two- and three- fold. The result is that low income groups always remain ignored and large areas of land remain undeveloped for decades. This vicious cycle continues to deprive the average person. We, at Saiban, have developed a four step filtration system to ensure the target market is being reached. The first step is an appraisal form; the second step is a pre-screening verification done by one of our employees. The third step is a reception area on our site: the client is required to come live in a 10' x 10' unfinished room with their entire family and all of their belongings for the period of 7-15 days. The reception area holds communal kitchens and bathrooms for 10-12 families. Once this test is passed, the person must start living on the plot within a period of 1-45 days. The fourth step of the filtration process is that the individual will not be given full title for a period of 3- 5 years and must keep that as his/her primary residence for that period. These steps have proven successful in allowing us to continually benefit low-income groups.

8) Key operational partnerships: During the years we have established partnerships within all segments of society. In some of our projects, we have key partnerships with the government (where they subsidize the land). In other projects we hold partnerships with businesses in hopes to assist the residents of our communities through micro-finance endeavours. Yet in other partnerships, we establish relationships with NGOs in the social, health, and education sector to develop those areas within our communities. These partnerships are all complimentary to our projects and allow us to perform our tasks and objectives in a more effective manner.

9) Financial model: Saiban goes to great extremes to ensure that products are affordable to the target populations. As mentioned above, in some projects we obtained land from the government, thus allowing us to pass on savings to the consumer. In other areas, where such subsudies are not possible, as is the case in our Lahore project, we have established a relationship with a reputable financing institution that will specifically cater to our consumer needs.

          • Costs as percentage of income: N/A

          • Financing: All projects of Saiban are designed to be self- sustainable. No beneficiary is given anything for free. The concept we hold to is that all beneficiaries shall recieve their plots on a no profit-no loss basis from Saiban. However, to ensure sustainability, Saiban retains rights to 10% of all residential plots and all commercial plots of the housing scheme. Once the entire scheme is developed and residents are occupying their homes, Saiban proceeds to sell the retained plots at the open market rate. The income generated from those plots is recylced into the following projects.

10) Effectiveness

          • Project outcomes: Our project has had a tremendous amount of success thus far. In addition to recieving several national and international awards, Saiban has replicated the project in four different areas of Pakistan. Additionally, Saiban has provided support for the government in replicating these projects as well. In total, we have benefitted over 8000 people thus far.

          • Number of clients in past year: 235

          • Percentage of clients that are poor or marginalized: 100

          • Potential demand: Considering the service and products we provide, it becomes clear that the demand is potentially enormous. We at Saiban have successfully demonstrated various models that cater to all populations earning as little as US $1/day, and as much as $7/day. In a country like Pakistan, where the average income is about US $4/day and the population is growing rapidly, our product will be able to market to a segment much greater than 5 million people. Considering that Saiban has adapted and evolved the product successfully across diverse districts and provinces in within Pakistan, it is with a high level of confidence that we anticipate being able to provide models to diverse groups of varying countries of the developing world. The housing problem is one that is faced by every person on this earth. We, at Saiban, have been working on a solution for the average man/woman of the world.

11) Scaling up strategy

          • Stage of the initiative: Scaling Up stage.

          • Expansion plan: Saiban has taken the necessary steps to initiate projects in various districts of Pakistan. Currently we have introduced our proven concept to the Punjab Province with several projects, some already underway. Our next phase will be to scale up the project to 10,000 homes under a model that can be commercially viable yet retain the values we aspire to.

12) Origin of the initiative: I was have worked for the government of Pakistan for 40 years. During this period, I remained the Director General of the Hyderabad Development Authority for about five years and headed the Sindh Kachti Abadi Authority for about twelve years. It was during this time that I took the time to study the housing problem for the lower income populations and how this population survives in the informal sector. It was from this research that I envisioned a solution for our target market that would incorporate the ideas of the informal housing sector, but provide additional improvements to establish a sound and replicable system.

Contact Information:
Tasneem  Siddiqui
Chairman
Saiban-Action Research for Shelter
(NGO)
GRE-319 (2-B) Britto Road
Pakistan
Tel: 011 92 21 225 9772
Fax: 011 92 21 225 9049
Email: saiban_project@yahoo.com
Website: N/A