The growth of slums in Malawi is largely attributed to failure by the urban poor to access land for housing. This paper outlines the background to the establishment of a federation of the urban poor in Malawi in 2003, which was formed with the support of a local NGO, the CCODE. The aim was to access land for housing and to build decent houses through savings groups. The paper also describes the operation of the Mchenga Fund for housing, and its progress and challenges over its four years of existence. It is noted that organizations of the urban poor have the potential, when given space, and state and external support, to contribute significantly not only to housing development but also to improving the lives of slum dwellers.