Informal settlers in Windhoek participate in the planning for the upgrading of their settlements
Through the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia (SDFN), informal settlers of Tweetheni and Ehangano in Okuryangava together with the Polytechnic of Namibia’s Architecture students and lecturers started a participatory planning workshop on the 8th of April 2014 for the preparations of working models for housing solutions for these two communities. Windhoek experienced uncontrolled urban growth since independence. The situation is further aggravated by authorities not succeeding in delivering sufficient land for housing, to keep pace with the influx. Many new residents therefore had to find their own solutions by settling in informal settlements, legally or not, without security of tenure and access to water and sanitation, and Okuryangava is no exception to that. The Tweetheni and Ehangano communities were relocated from single Quarters in 2000 due to upgrading purposes. Others came from Otjomuise, Ombili and Kilimanjaro and are leasing land from the City of Windhoek for a...