Bantu, in consortium with Rwanda Women’s Network and Espelia, were appointed as the Urban Fabric Initiative (UFI) operator in Kigali.  UFIs are small-scale public space upgrading and community infrastructure projects co-designed and co-produced by residents and urban stakeholders, in the framework of urban projects funded by AFD. 

Bantu is coordinating the participatory co-design and advising on the co-construction of various facilities, including water points, a community library, a sports facility and public spaces as part of a comprehensive informal settlement upgrading process in three settlements.  It includes community needs assessments and visioning, the participatory design and direct construction of “quick-win” facilities, as well as advise and oversight of a longer-term tendering process and strategic alignment of future micro-construction projects with the overall impact strategy.