Working together for community growth
The City of Windhoek's Greenwell Matongo Community Centre has received a welcome facelift following a community service initiative led by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Established in Namibia in 1992, the church has grown to four branches with nearly 1,000 active members in Windhoek. Seeking an opportunity to give back to the community, church representatives approached the City of Windhoek's Community Development Division to identify a project where they could make a meaningful contribution. The Greenwell Matongo Community Centre was selected as the ideal beneficiary.
Despite the winter cold, volunteers of all ages turned out in large numbers to repaint the walls of the community library. The initiative brought together young and old, men and women, who dedicated their time and effort to improving the facility. According to Eliaser Ikela, First Counsellor in the church's District Presidency, the total value of the project was approximately N$60,000. The contribution covered paint, brushes, rollers, trays, a paint sprayer, extension poles, as well as food and refreshments for volunteers participating in the project.
The City of Windhoek expressed its appreciation to the members and volunteers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for their generosity and commitment to community development, noting that their efforts have made a lasting positive impact on the facility and its users. Meanwhile, the City of Windhoek has also been engaging residents of Hadino Hishongwa C and D informal settlements in the Samora Machel Constituency as part of plans to formalise the area and implement an approved layout plan. The engagement, which took place over the weekend, focused on informing residents about the planned developments and the importance of aligning structures with the approved layout. The initiative aims to pave the way for the construction of roads, installation of electricity infrastructure and the delivery of other essential municipal services.
Residents welcomed the proposed developments and demonstrated a positive and cooperative spirit throughout the discussions. Community members whose structures fall within the planned road reserve indicated their willingness to relocate and realign their homes to allow for the construction of the main access road, electricity infrastructure and other municipal services. The meeting was led by the City's Human Settlements Division, with support from the Public Participation and Corporate Communications Offices. Samora Machel Constituency Councillor, Lydia Naango Kanime, also attended the engagement.
The City of Windhoek thanked all residents who participated in the discussions, commending their cooperation, commitment and willingness to work together towards the future development of their community.
The two initiatives reflect a shared commitment between residents, community organisations and the City of Windhoek to improve living conditions and strengthen community development across the capital.
