Call for Applications to Author Country Profiles for 2023 Housing Finance in Africa Yearbook

Deadline for applications: 28 June 2023, 16h00 CAT (South Africa time)

Are you keen to research and write on housing and housing finance in African countries? Would you like to join a community of authors across the continent, and be listed as a contributor to a well-known publication in the sector? The CAHF Yearbook is a great opportunity.

The flagship publication of CAHF, the Housing Finance in Africa Yearbook, is a highly-respected source of information on the state of the housing finance sector on the continent, targeted for housing finance practitioners, investors, researchers and government officials. 2023 will mark our 14th edition, which will be launched in 31 October 2023, containing 55 country profiles, and published simultaneously in English and French.

The Housing Finance in Africa Yearbook provides a current update of practice and developments in housing finance in Africa, reflecting the dynamic change and growth evident in the market in each country and region. While the general aim of the Yearbook is to offer a broad overview of housing finance and housing development in Africa, special emphasis is placed on the key challenge of housing affordability and access to housing processes for low income households, as well as the critical need for housing products and finance that are explicitly targeted at the income profiles of the majority.

The various country and regional profiles are researched and written by different authors around the continent–consultants, researchers and practitioners. To this end, we are currently seeking applications from interested parties to serve as authors for the 2023 14th edition of the Yearbook. The deadline for submission of applications is 28 June 2023, 16h00 CAT (South Africa time).

The 2022 Yearbook can be viewed at: https://housingfinanceafrica.org/resources/yearbook/ All profiles will reflect updated information and data on housing finance markets across these countries and regions. This year’s 2023 Yearbook profiles will follow the same basic structure with some changes an

When preparing your application, please consider the following:

• Local expertise and language proficiency is preferred. Ideally, profile authors are researchers or practitioners based in that country, who are therefore able to collect data on the ground and assess the quality of the data provided, based on country and housing sector knowledge.
• Applicants should have a background in housing, urban development and / or housing finance.
• Interested authors can indicate their interest in up to 6 countries. However it is noted that no single author will be selected to write more than 2 profiles. In completing the application form, you are invited to indicate your special expertise in particular countries.
• Country profiles can be written in French or English and should be approximately 3 500 – 3 600 words in length in English and 3 800 – 4000 words in French (excluding footnotes and text boxes). Written proficiency in one of these languages is therefore a requirement. Please indicate your language preference on your application form.
• The Yearbook places a high premium on data accuracy, quality and replicability. Authors will be expected to comply with rigorous guidelines regarding citations and references for all facts and data included in the profiles. All facts will be checked.
• In addition to the written country profiles, consultants will be expected to collect between 30-35 data points as part of the data survey process.
• Authors are paid R22 500 (South African Rand) per country, comprising profile (R13 500) and the data survey (R9 000).
• Author’s / Organisation names will be listed under the country name of each profile and at the front of the book.

Country profile authors will be responsible for the following:

• Originally authored profile (3500 – 3600 words exclusive of footnotes and text boxes) containing the following sections: overview; access to finance; affordability; housing supply; property markets; policy and legislation; opportunities. (To view the draft TOR, click on the orange circle at the bottom of this page).
• Completion of a Yearbook data survey. Each YB author would collect data on approximately 30-35 indicators, which would require local knowledge of data sources and on-the-ground data collection. It should be noted that this will require emails, telephone calls and in-person visits to organisations and government departments to obtain data. (An example of the Data Survey from 2022 is available for download below, although it is noted that indicators will change for this 2023 edition.)

In order to apply, please complete the application form on Google Forms at this link:

Fill out application form

As part of the Google Form application, you will be asked to upload your updated CV, with three references, as well as two short writing samples: articles, or reports.

Writing sample must be your sole authorship, and not written in conjunction with co-authors. The writing samples do not have to be published articles.

If you are unable to submit via Google forms or have any questions, please contact Alison Tshangana: alison@housingfinanceafrica.org