According to U.N. Habitat, 62% of the urban population in Sub-Saharan Africa lives in slums, which it describes as being typically characterized by “deplorable living conditions, a feeling of insecurity and inadequate infrastructure for basic energy, sanitation and water services.”
In an effort to provide more sustainable housing in South Africa, researchers at the University of Stellenbosch have developed the iShack (or improved shack.) Intended to raise the living standards of slum residents through access to electricity and protection from extreme temperatures, these shacks are environmentally friendly and fully equipped with a photovoltaic panel that can power three lights, a mobile phone charger, and an outdoor motion detector spotlight. Its windows are strategically placed to achieve better air circulation and sunlight heating, while the roof is sloped so that rainwater can be harvested during the winter months.
Thanks in large part to a grant by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, prototypes of the iShack are being built and will be trialed over the next year. Up to 100 shacks will either be built or retrofitted to determine whether the system can be applied on a larger scale.
Nosanjo Plaatjie (pictured) and her three young children were chosen to become the occupants of the iShack prototype.
This begs the question: just what will they think of next?
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