Nairobi — Habitat for Humanity Kenya has today launched a two-year campaign dubbed 'Home Equals' aimed at addressing housing deficits for people living in informal settlements.

The NGO unveiled the pilot scheme in Mukuru slums and seeks to expand its scope in the coming days.

"As we pursue equity in development, let us remember that residents of informal settlements are not problems to be solved but powerful partners in finding solutions," Habitat for Humanity Kenya National Director Anthony Okoth said.

"Residents of informal settlements are playing an incredibly important role as they find solutions to their habitats for themselves."

Habitat for Humanity has revealed that 60 percent of the residents in Nairobi live in informal settlements, with the figure continuing to rise everyday due to rural-urban migration.

The organization has also partnered with the county government of Nairobi and Mashinani Akiba for the provision of basic services, including access to clean water and sanitation for at least 50,000 Households.

"Community participation is critical to boost the odds of success. We are aware that you cannot plan without the people," Akiba Mashinani Trust Executive Director Jane Weru said.

" To successfully lift the residents of Mukuru out of systemic structures that perpetuate poverty, placing them at the center of planning and development is pivotal," Weru added.