Reall has worked in Zimbabwe since 2000, in partnership with ShelterSol, ZINAHCO and Dialogue on Shelter.

Zimbabwe faces a deeply challenging environment for affordable housing delivery. The country is still recovering from the economic collapse of 2000s, during which GDP nearly halved. Today, 72% of the population lives below the poverty line, and the housing deficit is estimated at 1.5 million units. With an average household size of five, this means nearly half of Zimbabwe’s 16 million people lack access to adequate housing. Inflation, currency instability, and limited mortgage finance further constrain affordability, making innovative, low-cost solutions essential to meeting the country’s growing urban housing need.

ShelterSol is a long-standing Reall partner in Zimbabwe, delivering nearly 1,000 affordable homes. Reall’s engagement initially began with the Zimbabwe National Association of Housing Cooperatives (ZINAHCO) and has continued since 2015 through ShelterSol, a housing developer formed out of ZINAHCO. These homes provide secure, affordable housing for low-income Zimbabweans, many of whom were previously excluded from formal housing markets. More recently, Reall, ShelterSol and the Hopley B Housing Union piloted Zimbabwe’s first Decentralised Wastewater Treatment System (DEWATS), a green, off-grid sanitation solution powered by solar UV purification. The DEWATS system addressed a critical barrier for the 850-member cooperative, enabling housing construction on land previously deemed unsuitable due to lack of sewerage infrastructure.

Reall’s partnership with ZINAHCO began in 2012, investing approximately £2 million across nine projects to deliver 758 homes for low-income cooperative members across Zimbabwe. As the national body for over 190 housing cooperatives and 10,000 members, ZINAHCO plays a key role in implementing affordable housing at scale. With Reall’s support, they advanced legal recognition of cooperatives, enabling secure land access and unlocking micro-mortgage opportunities. This partnership not only delivered homes but strengthened Zimbabwe’s cooperative housing sector and offers a powerful template for inclusive housing finance and community-led delivery in similar markets.

Reall’s work with Dialogue on Shelter began in 2000, and focused on providing water, sanitation and housing support through the Gungano Urban Poor Fund, reaching low income slum dwellers across the country.

These partnerships demonstrate the power of cooperative housing models to deliver affordable homes at scale, while piloting innovative green infrastructure like DEWATS to unlock new land and influence national housing policy.