Groundbreaking for new houses in Goreangab
New houses are being built in the Goreangab informal settlement extension 4 in Katutura under the Informal Settlement Upgrading Pilot Project, with 113 new houses that are to be built, with the beneficiaries from the informal settlement that have already been selected.The initiative is scheduled to begin on 2 April and will continue until the end of June. It was originally commissioned in June 2020 and is part of the government's programme to eliminate tin shacks in the informal settlements.
“Since its inception, 694 affordable and high-quality houses have been built for residents of the informal settlement areas,” said Deputy Minister of Rural and Urban Development Evelyn !Nawases Taeyele at the event.
According to her, a stable home means a dignified life. “Owning your own home is the true meaning of independence. Not having your own roof over your head means nothing less than being lost,” Taeyele said.
John Moonde, chairman of the Khomas Regional Council, emphasised at the ceremony that the region has the most informal settlements in the country and that this must be addressed. “We have to start keeping up with the urban exodus and offer people a safe home,” Moonde said.
Three beneficaries also spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony.
Mikka Ndadi, a teacher in the settlement, expressed her gratitude for the programme but also called for responsible management of the new settlement, saying that it must be ensured that the houses are of a good quality, that financial resources go to the right places, and that the new residents take good care of their new home. “I know many of you in the informal settlements are still waiting for accommodation. We're just the lucky first round. But the programme demonstrates that there is a light at the end of the tunnel for us.”