Local Authority and Private Sector visits houses constructed in Okahandja.

On 12 August 2021 Namibia Housing Action Group (NHAG) and Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia (SDFN) held a learning event with the Honourable Town Councillors and the delegation headed by Mayor of Okahandja, Natasha Brinkman accompanied by a Town Councillor, Acting CEO and staff members. Constituency Councillors were represented by the Chief Control Officer and for the private sector Standard Bank Branch Manager, Immanuel Jason was present. The delegation was invited to learn more about the activities of the Federation by visiting the 20 houses just built by federation members in Okahandja. The 20 houses have been funded through its Buy-a-Brick Initiative as follows 15 through MTC/Huawei and 5 houses by Standard Bank. NHAG and SDFN would like to thank MTC, Standard Bank, and all the partners for their unwavering support and financial contribution.

Some of these Federation’s houses in Okahandja are already occupied while some are under construction on the verge of completion. The event was a great success. Community members could share their success stories of participating in this community-driven developments to build their houses and finally moving out of a shack. Local authorities noted and appreciated what the Shack Dwellers Federation had developed at the allocated land they needed. The members of the Shack Dwellers Federation in Okahandja has been waiting since 2007 for land to be allocated to them by the Council of Okahandja. The Shack Dwellers also told stories of struggles: that they have been allocated land on partly rocky ground, so some ervens still can’t be used because the community members do not have big machines to remove these big rocks but have to do it by hand.

The local authority and private sector were impressed and delighted to hear that the members of the Shack Dwellers Federation really own this process and do everything by themselves- from servicing the land with water meters and sewage systems according to municipal standards and making their own bricks according to national standards as well as building the whole house.

 An official house handover event is planned for the end of September 2021. Please be so kind to contact us if you would be interested in participating or supporting the event. Please contact SDFN Okahandja Facilitator Ms. Mara: 081 29 16 309