About DWF
DWF - only organisation to have received two World Habitat Awards
1998 & 2008
DWF is the only organisation to date to have received two World Habitat Awards, recognizing achievements in each of our two main regions of intervention.
The World Habitat Awards were established in 1985 by the Building and Social Housing Foundation (UK) as part of its contribution to the United Nations International Year of Shelter for the Homeless. Two awards are given annually to projects from the global north as well as the south that provide practical and innovative solutions to current housing needs and problems. Every year the award is presented to each of the two winners at the annual United Nations global celebration of World Habitat Day.
Promotion of Woodless Construction in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger
DWF received a World Habitat Award in 1998 for its work in the Sahel countries of West Africa, developing and promoting "woodless construction" building techniques. Ongoing work currently includes assisting women potters (photo).
Woodless construction firing ovens save wood, improve quality and generate income for female potters.
(The same programme has also been recognized by the UN Scroll of Honour in 1992 and was listed by UNCHS / Dubai as “good practice” in 2001. The stamp pictured above dates from 1992.)
The BSHF citation summary reads : "Woodless construction - vault and dome roofing using hand moulded bricks - was introduced into the Sahel in 1980, where increasing desertification has led to a lack of timber for traditional methods of roof construction. Local materials are used and over 700 local masons have been trained in the building method. The technique can be used for all sizes and types of buildings and has been assimilated into the building culture throughout the Sahel, due to its affordability and suitability for local needs. In addition to improved housing, the programme brings substantial income generation opportunities for local people and reduces the rate of timber depletion and environmental degradation."
Read more http://www.worldhabitatawards.org/winners-and-finalists/project-details.cfm?lang=00&theProjectID;=37
Preventing Typhoon Damage to Housing, Central Viet Nam
A decade later, in 2008, DWF received a second World Habitat Award for its work developing and promoting "ten key points" of cyclone resistant building. Since then these have been applied not only in Indonesia, but more recently in Myamnar as part of a collaboration with Save the Children.
The BSHF citation summary reads: "This Development Workshop France (DWF) programme has worked over many years with families and local governments in Viet Nam to apply key principles of safe storm and flood resistant construction, both to existing and new homes, as well as to community buildings. Over 1,300 cyclone-resistant houses have been provided to date through the programme, with many other households choosing to use the construction techniques. Communicating these basic principles to local people is an important part of the programme. The building techniques are now being progressively adopted by local and provincial governments, as well as other NGOs and agencies, both in Viet Nam and Indonesia."