By Emma Kakololo
WINDHOEK
The Minister of Works Transport and Communication Joel Kaapanda has urged financial institutions to emulate efforts made by Standard Bank in assisting the poor to obtain proper housing.
Employees of Standard Bank Ondangwa branch recently joined the Shack Dwellers Federation and Namibia Action Group to make bricks for Tsandi community and also donated three wheelbarrows at the event.
Tsandi constituency Councillor Levy Katoma delivering the keynote address on behalf of Kaapanda, said housing contributed significantly to the country’s civilization, while at the same time acting as a driving force in the transformation of every aspect of human life. Therefore, efforts for housing provision should be made from all corners of life.
“We all know that Namibia is faced with a big shortage of housing and the majority of our workforce is unable to afford proper housing structures. It is therefore encouraging to hear this kind of development. Hence, moral, financial and material support to these kinds of initiatives should be encouraged by all means,” he stated.
He urged financial institutions to put their money into their ‘banking financial base’: “We should know that the low-income group of our workforce has no other means of banking other than putting their money into local banks. Likewise, this request should also go to the business community to invest into the local communities.”
So far, 62 houses have been built for the low-income groups. These are people who earn below N$600 per month, including pensioners. The 32 savings groups in the area collect money from the community which they gain from engaging in various money generating activities, such as selling fat cookies and fireworks, while others are domestic workers. The money is then paid to the local municipality as a deposit for land, while the remaining is used to install water, electricity and sanitation.
Kaapanda cautioned those entrusted with the collection of the “little” contributions from the members and any other donations to the group, to guard against corrupt practices and abide by the principle of good governance, while encouraging other communities to follow Tsandi’s example of resource mobilization in order to contribute to their own well-being.
The group has saved about N$51 000.