Rural Housing Loan Fund (RHLF)

The RHLF's core business is providing loans, through intermediaries, to low income households for incremental housing purposes. Incremental housing is a people driven process; and RHLF's core business is to empower low income families in rural areas to access credit that enables them to unleash the potential of their self help, savings and local ingenuity to build and improve their shelter over time.

RHLF was a incubated within the NHFC and remained part of the organization as a subsidiary until 31 March 2002. From 1 April 2002 it became a separate entity.

The Rural Housing Loan Fund has channeled funds to homeowners in dozens of rural areas in all 9 provinces in South Africa through 20 medium and small retail lenders. 

The RHLF has set up a Peer Support Network (PSN) to support capacity building and loyalty to the RHLF mission among intermediaries. This unique approach to development finance seeks to institutionalize peer interaction among non-competitive start-ups.