For the first time in human history more than half the world's population lives in towns and cities. Already a billion of urban residents are classified as being poor.

Five years ago, at the UN Habitat meeting in Istanbul, member states committed to a radical plan for improving the living conditions of the underprivileged. This week these same governments meet in New York to discuss what's been achieved.

Guided by Homeless International, Earth Report took to the streets and went 'down and out' in some of the world's most deprived city districts and found that the urban poor are very far from seeing themselves as 'down' or 'out'.

In this and the next three films we record how slum-dweller federations and city groups, against formidable odds, are making changes happen.

Facing Eviction - Zimbabwe

In 1993 Chipo Mutumbu was evicted from her farm by the Zimbabwean government along with thousands of other families. The government assured the evictees they would have a permanent home within months. It took 7 years.

During those years the evictees formed self-help cooperatives. Chipo is now an active member of one such group - The Zimbabwe Homeless Peoples' Federation. In alliance with another group, 'Dialogue on Shelter', the Federation is now a 4000 strong nationwide movement.

One of the Federation's most important achievements is a savings and micro-loan scheme, which helps the poor, afford their own homes.

The Right Side of the Track - India

'Home' for 30,000 families of Mumbai, one of the world's most densely populated cities, was a narrow strip alongside the city's main railway track.

In 1989 these residents formed the Railway Slum Dwellers Federation to lobby the authorities for safer housing. Seeing the need for slum-dwellers to speak with one voice they found solidarity with three other groups - The Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centres, The National Slum Dwellers Federation and Mahila Milan which in Hindi means 'women together'.

2000 households were relocated to apartment buildings but the remainder still live in self-built 'transit' housing. But Gandhian-style quiet determination seems to be paying off. By May 2001 this extraordinary collective managed to relocate 13,000 families to safer accommodation.

The slum dwellers associations and the people they represent keep coming up with workable alternatives. In fact, they've been so successful that other federations are urging their governments to visit Mumbai to see for themselves how working with the poor can achieve results.

Saving for Safety - Manila, The Philippines

How do you escape the 'poverty trap' if you feel isolated and have no organisation working on your behalf? The answer is in savings schemes run by, and working for, the poor.

Payatas, one of Manila's rubbish tips, is home and employment for thousands of people. But tips are extremely dangerous places. In 1992, a landslide here killed hundreds of people. Not surprisingly, the main aim of people of Payatas is be able to live in a safer environment.

In alliance with the Philippines Homeless Federation, the community here set up the Payatas Scavengers Homeowners Association that ran a savings scheme. By 1998 the Association had saved enough to buy land in Mont Alban, Rizal Province for 4.5 million - 3.9 million of which came from the savings programme.

Now there's enough land to house 306 families away from the dangers of the tip.

Verging on Success - South Africa

After apartheid South Africa's poor thought they were on the fast track to a better life. But even in a country where the government is committed to providing homes, change is coming too slowly for millions of South Africans.

Sylvia Nzama's story is typical. After fleeing from township violence in Durban she ended up living in a local park with many other families. This ad-hoc community joined forces with two self-help groups, the Peoples' Dialogue and the South African Homeless People's Federation. Together they applied pressure on the Durban authorities and finally secured a plot of land.

With the help of the Federation's savings scheme, this fledgling community is turning into a well-established township. Today the Federation runs more than 1100 savings and credit collectives.

In the Eye of a Needle - United Kingdom

Even in rich nations there are pockets of deprivation and here, too, there's a parallel world where society's 'losers' are finding 'winning ways'.

In Britain a quarter of the homeless end up on the street as a result of a family break up and with no address it's hard to get work and government benefits. Once on the streets, escape for many is alcohol and heroin.

But one organisation, Groundswell, is bringing homeless people together to share their experiences and develop self-help initiatives - away from government offialdom. The organisation now works with over 2000 groups and individuals.

Some Place to Live - United States of America

In the world's richest economy public housing doesn't fit comfortably in a society where the American dream is built on wealth created by private enterprise.

In 1998 a federal law - the Quality Housing Act - prohibited the expanded development of public housing. In the run-down neighbourhood of South Bronx, New York, once perfectly decent public housing has fallen into shocking disrepair and the families that once lived here have no-where to go.

The Emergency Assistance Unit is the first stop for families that have been evicted, displaced or relocated. Here they can apply for public housing. But the shortage is so great that, in New York, the average wait is 8 years. Currently 120,000 families are on the waiting list.

Maria Forbes formed a tenants association that is part of the Huairou Commission and Groots - a network of grassroots initiatives that helps give people a voice and lobby for change. Her aim is that all people should have access to low-income affordable housing.

Across the world, in developed and developing nations, it's clear that poor people are far from helpless. Where government's are lacking, grassroots cooperatives are finding solutions.

What's more, these networks have gone global - sharing experiences with other like-minded groups across the world.

Earth Report's crews returned with a message from the poor to the governments that are pledged to meet their needs: 'listen to us. We know what works for us".