Freedom Square Informal Settlement : Data Collection

Short update from the community members working on the data collection and entry . 

My name is Rosalia Haiduwa, I was born in Gobabis on the 17^th of June 1997 in freedom square. My parents lived here for 27 years. So I have a little bit of a story to share to the world about Freedom Square how we worked together as one team.

The process started with the numbering of houses, giving numbers to structures. After we finished giving numbers, we divided ourselves into groups to start with the enumeration process, walking from house to house to collect information about people living there. So as soon as we were done with the survey, we started doing data entry, putting information that we collected into computers. After doing all the data entry we started verifying the information that we entered in computers to see if they are correct. As we were done , we started with map work. Map work was challenging to people that did not understand. We verified all the structures on the map and on the ground to see if they were correct. We have learned a lot of things from the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia-Namibia Housing Action Group [SDFN] like how to measure the land, plots and how to move people into their plots.Although its a learning process , we faced some challenges ;We have learned a lot of new skills out of the work we had been doing. Since we were not doing anything at home , we decided to work for our community rather than being at home. 

•  When people were told to move into their plots, they complained that they do not have any money to buy materials such as zinc, concrete, as well as money to pay people that will be helping them.
• Lack of information due to the absenteeism of people at their houses, some people went at the farms etc. when they return some do not have an idea on what is happening in the settlement .

We are still busy with the map work, allocating of the plots. Once the allocation is completed and the household information has been verified , we are planning to start doing the Land Hold Certificates immediately.  

 ''I was invited by my friend Rosalia to come join them to be part of the group. The first day I had started we were doing the plotting on map. Same of the structures had only new numbers and some of the structures were not on the map or the list.
We went into the field to verify the structures on the houses if they are corresponding to the ones on the map and on the list. If not corresponding we were to correct them.
After that we were placed them into plots according to the information we were verifying. The challenge,  yesterday we went into the field of the new location and people had much to say. Same people were saying that they were not moving. Same of them were saying that they are not leaving with their husband and who will rebuild the house for them. They were to complain that they have put concrete floors into their houses and they said municipality will have to pay for it. That was a serious issue  which need to be discussed by the members. I really felt bad and same thing should be done to come to an end of this.''- Justina Ndipopiplwa I have stayed with my parents for 15 years  and I am part of the data entry Team.