Slum Dwellers International
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Slum Dwellers International (SDI) is a network of federations of the urban poor and slum dwellers, particularly focused in the South. SDI acts as an advocacy group for the poor in urban planning and decision-making, and has a strong grassroots philosophy in opposition to centralised top-down solutions such as those offered by state governments, the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.[1]
SDI grew out of an alliance in the mid-1980’s between three Indian organizations: the National Slum Dwellers Federation, Mahila Milan, and the Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centers. In 1996 the three groups formalised their alliance and founded Slum Dwellers International. In 2005 it was estimated that its 5.6 million members across 14 countries had amassed nearly $32 million in savings, helped secure land for 125,000 families and created 79,500 new housing units.[2]
SDI affiliates range from groups of a few hundred (at present) in Zambia to more than a million-and-a-half in India. Some are decades old, others have been in existence for less than a year. SDI has a presence in the following countries; Cambodia, India, Kenya (see "Camp of Fire" project), Namibia, Nepal, Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Thailand, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Uganda, Columbia, Indonesia, Malawi, Lesotho, Tanzania, Zambia, Argentina, Brazil and Ghana.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ Slum Dwellers International: SDI Synopsis Misereor
- ^ Ford Foundation: Bricks, Mortar and Mobilization, Robert Neuwirth, Spring-Summer 2005
- ^ Slum Dwellers International: SDI Synopsis Misereor
