Lahja Nashuuta

Helena Stefanus’ dream of moving her family out of a shack they called home for more than 35 years became a reality yesterday when she officially received her brick house from the National Housing Enterprise (NHE).

Her house is among 53 handed over to residents of Greenwell Matongo.

For Stefanus, living in a shack in an informal settlement meant living in a one-room structure with no privacy for family members, no electricity, and having to share a communal tap and communal ablution facilities. 

In winter, the shack becomes very cold, in summer it becomes very hot, and when it is windy, there is dust everywhere. 

To top it off, there are far too few communal toilets and shower facilities within the informal settlements. 

“I want to thank the National Housing Enterprise, the government, and other stakeholders for making our dream come true.  We struggled for many years to acquire a proper house through the banks but because of economic hardships, we could not meet the requirements,” she said.

Stefanus expressed her gratitude to the project implementers who made it possible for her and many others to own a standard house valued at N$200 000.

“My instalment is affordable, and we now own a house that we can pass to our children and grandchildren,” said the new homeowner.

Stefanus and the 52 new homeowners benefited from the Informal Settlement Upgrading Pilot Project, a joint initiative between NHE, Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, City of Windhoek and Khomas Regional Council.

Yesterday’s handing over of houses was part of the first phase of the project.

So far, the project has given birth to 640 two-bedroom houses constructed between 2020 and 2023 countrywide.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony, the Minister of Urban and Rural Development Erastus Uutoni acknowledged the housing backlog in the country and reiterated the government’s commitment to deliver affordable houses to lower-income earners.

“This is my brainchild and through this project, we aim to create healthy communities with the provision of affordable, well-designed houses for low to middle-income families that find it difficult to acquire houses constructed by private developers. Today, I am glad that the initiative that we started a few years back is benefiting the intended population,” said Uutoni.

He, however, noted with concern the unavailability of virgin and serviced land from the local authority as well as financial resources as a barrier to the smooth continuation of the project.

“Our ability to deliver more houses greatly depends on the availability of serviced land. I wish to appeal to the City of Windhoek to offer land to the NHE at the lowest prices possible,” said the minister.

Speaking at the same event, NHE board chairperson Tosca Sem reiterated the institution’s mandate to build and finance quality and affordable housing products for Namibian inhabitants.

“We are working tirelessly to guarantee the efficient and effective deliverance of this important national mandate as evidenced by this momentous occasion we are witnessing today,” she said.

Sem acknowledged the affordability of repaying by some of the beneficiaries as one of the challenges the institution faced. 

She, however, assured that NHE is working around the clock to avoid house repossessions. She further reveals that the institution is planning to commence the second phase with approximately 600 houses envisioned to be constructed in the Otjomuise area.

- lnashuuta@gmail.com

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