My experience in slum upgrading spans policy design, programme implementation, and hands-on support at neighbourhood level across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
I have led and advised large-scale, donor-funded initiatives focused on improving housing and living conditions in informal settlements through integrated planning, community participation, tenure security approaches, and inclusive financing mechanisms.
This includes managing complex multi-stakeholder programmes, developing guide plans and upgrading strategies, embedding employment and livelihood components, and strengthening community organisations, with several projects recognised as good practice for linking physical upgrading with social development and long-term urban inclusion.
2015 - 2017
2015- 2017 - GIZ India
As Project Director, I led the Inclusive Cities Partnership Programme with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (MoHUPA), to advance inclusive urban development in India.
The programme supported the Housing for All Mission, inclusive housing policies, and contributions to the New Urban Agenda, while assisting states and cities with Plans of Action and the upgrading of informal settlements through beneficiary-led construction, supported by targeted capacity development and knowledge exchange.
2009
2009 - Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)
I led an evaluation of international experience in generating employment through urban upgrading programmes as an input to future Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) project design for Brazilian municipalities. The assignment was based on comparative case studies from the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Colombia, and South Africa, examining how urban upgrading interventions can effectively link physical improvements with job creation and income generation.
My role included conceptualising the study approach, managing and coordinating a team of international and national experts, synthesising the country studies into a set of key lessons learned, and developing practical operational guidelines for integrating employment and income generation measures into future urban upgrading projects.
2009
Photo: Christian Paul on Unsplash
2009 - GTZ
Short-term advisory support to the Chilean Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (MINVU) for a national programme focused on the rehabilitation and upgrading of informal settlements and other low-income urban areas.
The assignment supported the transformation of the government’s Quiero mi Barrio programme from a time-bound initiative into a permanent policy and funding instrument for urban rehabilitation. Drawing on European experience with sustainable urban development funding—particularly the URBAN I and II initiatives —the aim was to support a more integrated, long-term approach to neighbourhood upgrading that combines physical improvement with social development and community participation.
2008
2008 - GTZ
I conducted an ex-ante Poverty Impact Assessment (PIA) of the GTZ contribution to the Second Urban Governance and Infrastructure Investment Programme (UGIIP-2), a joint initiative of the Asian Development Bank, KfW, and GTZ.
The assignment included PIA case studies in Mymensingh and Narayanganj with a focus on urban poor communities and community organisations, as well as facilitating a national workshop with government stakeholders and donor representatives.
1998 - 2003
1998 - 2003 - German Technical Cooperation
I led the implementation of the technical assistance component of the joint KfW–GTZ Participatory Urban Development project in Manshiet Nasser, Cairo, one of Egypt’s largest informal settlements. The assignment involved overall management and coordination of a large local team and focused on improving housing and living conditions through an integrated guide plan, stakeholder participation, community mobilisation, tenure security approaches, and the design and implementation of a Local Initiatives Fund supporting community-led social and cultural facilities.
The project was recognised as a good practice example in the Egypt Human Development Report 2004.
© Frank Samol 2023