Lafarge to focus on affordable housing programme

Published: 10 June 2013

Lafarge last night launched a new brand communication campaign which changes the baseline to 'building better cities' from 'bringing materials to life'.

The group says the new baseline mirrors the changes happening globally, which call for a process of profound transformation.

Addressing the launch cocktail last night, MD Johnathan Shoniwa said the campaign, which will cost $300 000 will focus on ensuring affordable housing in the country.

"Lafarge Cement this year is focusing on an affordable housing programme, which is a key need amongst our population."

Shoniwa said the programme will follow a two-phase approach; firstly a housing micro-finance project targeting individual homebuilders. "This will involve working with several microfinance institutions to develop a suitable offer for the informal sector. This approach also facilitates access to finance for low to middle income earners."

Shoniwa said the market remains predominantly driven by individual home builders while there were a number of construction projects in the pipeline, which would boost demand should they materialise.

The group said the transformation (under the new communication campaign) will help meet the extraordinary challenge of the growing urbanization of the planet. By 2050 there will be two billion new city-dwellers, which means that 70% of the world's population will live in towns and cities.

"As we position ourselves as a company, we recognise that towns and cities are at the heart of the challenges that have to be met."
- financial express

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