Close to 11 000 Ekunde informal residents to benefit from upgrading project
Improved living conditions on the horizon
Ekunde informal settlement residents have long struggled with inadequate housing, basic services and insecure land tenure, but recent efforts to upgrade the area offer new hope.
The Ekunde informal settlement in Okahandja, home to 10 823 residents, is now at the centre of a transformative community upgrading project aimed at improving living conditions.
This initiative is a collaborative effort led by the Okahandja municipal council of Okahandja in partnership with the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia (SDFN),and the National Housing Action Group (NHAG). It represents a significant step towards providing security of tenure and better living conditions for one of the town's most underserved areas.
Ekunde, which comprises four sections, has long struggled with the challenges typical of informal settlements: inadequate infrastructure, a lack of basic services and insecure land tenure. However, the recent efforts to upgrade the area are offering residents new hope. The project, now in its planning phase, aims to reblock, survey and eventually provide decent housing for the thousands of families who call Ekunde home.
Tailored solutions
The process began with detailed profiling and enumeration, revealing the scale of the settlement and the socio-economic landscape within. This data has been critical in informing the next steps of the project and ensuring that the community's needs are met with tailored solutions.
The preliminary layout for Ekunde has been finalised, proposing 4 446 erven, of which 4 162 are designated for single residential purposes. This will not only provide space for current residents but also accommodate future growth. The next phases, focusing on land surveying, reblocking and the delivery of essential services, are expected to commence soon, with the community actively participating in every step.
Residents have shown their commitment by agreeing to contribute to the costs associated with the land survey, demonstrating a strong desire to see their neighbourhood transformed. This grassroots involvement is important for the project's success and reflects a collective ambition to create a more secure and livable environment.
"Waiting for the progress to begin, I did pay my share," Ekunde resident Anna-Ida said.
"We always get together and provide input on how things are going," she explained.
This initiative is a collaborative effort led by the Okahandja municipal council of Okahandja in partnership with the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia (SDFN),and the National Housing Action Group (NHAG). It represents a significant step towards providing security of tenure and better living conditions for one of the town's most underserved areas.
Ekunde, which comprises four sections, has long struggled with the challenges typical of informal settlements: inadequate infrastructure, a lack of basic services and insecure land tenure. However, the recent efforts to upgrade the area are offering residents new hope. The project, now in its planning phase, aims to reblock, survey and eventually provide decent housing for the thousands of families who call Ekunde home.
Tailored solutions
The process began with detailed profiling and enumeration, revealing the scale of the settlement and the socio-economic landscape within. This data has been critical in informing the next steps of the project and ensuring that the community's needs are met with tailored solutions.
The preliminary layout for Ekunde has been finalised, proposing 4 446 erven, of which 4 162 are designated for single residential purposes. This will not only provide space for current residents but also accommodate future growth. The next phases, focusing on land surveying, reblocking and the delivery of essential services, are expected to commence soon, with the community actively participating in every step.
Residents have shown their commitment by agreeing to contribute to the costs associated with the land survey, demonstrating a strong desire to see their neighbourhood transformed. This grassroots involvement is important for the project's success and reflects a collective ambition to create a more secure and livable environment.
"Waiting for the progress to begin, I did pay my share," Ekunde resident Anna-Ida said.
"We always get together and provide input on how things are going," she explained.
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