Located on one of the hills at “The Land of a Thousand hills,” the Vision City project is part of the Rwandan government’s efforts to solve housing challenges in Kigali.
The first phase of the project, the biggest housing project in Rwanda, comprises 504 villas and apartments. According to the plan, after all the four phases are completed, the project could accommodate over 22,000 people.
Kigali could have a housing deficit of up to 350,000 residential units in 10 years, if nothing is done to address the current shortage, a study conducted by the Rwandan government and European Union in 2012 showed.
At least 43,436 social houses and 186,163 affordable houses are required annually by 2022, reflecting 54% housing demand, according to the city master plan of Kigali.
“China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) has built many landmark buildings in Rwanda,” General Manager of CCECC in Rwanda Wang Lei said, “including the Amahoro stadium, the tallest building in Kigali Kigali Tower City, the biggest business centre in Kigali M. Peace Plaza.”
CCECC has been fulfilling its social responsibility by providing free training to Rwandan workers, offering them opportunities to learn skills at the project site.The Chinese company also helps create jobs for local people, said Wang, adding that there were 3,000 local people working in the vision city project throughout the year of 2015.
CCECC has developed many local workers into skilled workers under direction of the company’s Chinese staff, he said.
