Staff Reporter
Windhoek-Less than six months after the third launch of Standard Bank’s Buy-a-Brick initiative, in partnership with the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia (SDFN), most of the commissioned houses are reaching completion.
The bank’s flagship initiative, which was initially launched in October 2015 with the aim of helping in alleviating the housing shortage in the country for no or low-income households who live in shacks through the SDFN, has so far aided in building some 40 houses in Rehoboth.
“When we launched the third leg of our Buy-a-Brick initiative late last year, we committed to building 50 houses in Windhoek, Berseba and Otjinene. I am proud to say that a majority of the houses have reached completion with the remaining few just a few weeks houses shy of completion,” Standard Bank’s PR and communications manager, Surihe Gaomas-Guchu, said this week.
She said that the speed in which the communities were building their homes is testament of their commitment to provide decent homes for their families. This also means that the goal of 50 houses will be exceeded because more people are able to begin construction on their homes as the initial loans are paid back and the funds are made available for them.
“Of the 50 houses that were scheduled to be built, 17 of the 20 houses in Berseba have been completed, while three are already at roof level with completion expected by the end of this month and in Otjinene all 16 houses are at the roof level with completion also expected in the next few weeks,” she explained.
However, in Windhoek only five houses have been completed, two are yet to be constructed, while members of the Ituyeni savings group are still awaiting approval of their plans from the City of Windhoek.
“The progress we have made so far is testament to the fact that if we band together, we can and will bring an end to the housing shortage in the country. Every Namibian deserves to have a decent brick house which they can call their home, and we are honoured to be able to bring more and more of them closer to realising that goal,” Gaomas-Guchu stressed.
SDFN’s co-director, Heinrich Amushila, expressed his gratitude towards the bank for its unrelenting support in ensuring that Namibians can achieve their dreams and aspirations of getting a decent home.
“The financial contribution by Standard Bank is adding value to people’s lives by making more money available and this helps more people to build houses affordably. Buy-a-Brick is the only financing vehicle in Namibia raising funds vigorously for the poor. Standard Bank and Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia have worked together for 11 years now and we appreciate and value that generous contribution to this movement,” he concluded.