Standard Bank Namibia has handed over 15 affordable houses at Onandjaba in the Omusati region as part of a broader project that delivered 84 homes to families.
The houses were funded through the bank’s Buy-a-Brick initiative, which raises money for affordable housing through corporate partnerships and fundraising activities.
Emeritha Iita, Standard Bank Namibia’s Outapi branch manager, says the houses would provide families with greater security.
“Housing is about far more than bricks and mortar. It is about dignity, security, stability and opportunity,” she says.
“Every home handed over today represents a family moving from uncertainty to greater security and a stronger foundation for the future.”
The funds for the houses were raised through the bank’s annual Corporate and Investment Banking Padel for Purpose event, with support from corporate partners Old Mutual Namibia and Ninety One Namibia.
Launched in 2015 in partnership with the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia and the Namibia Housing Action Group, Buy-a-Brick has raised more than N$27 million and contributed to the construction of more than 740 houses nationwide, according to the bank.
Omusati governor Immanuel Shikongo, who officiated the handover, says partnerships between the government, communities and businesses are important in improving housing access for low-income households.
“Projects such as these speak directly to the objectives of the sixth National Development Plan, which seeks to improve the quality of life of Namibians through inclusive development, stronger communities and sustainable livelihoods,” he says.
Shikongo says cooperation between different sectors could help accelerate housing delivery and build more resilient communities.
The project also involved beneficiaries in construction activities, including making bricks, digging trenches, transporting building materials and assisting with construction.
Standard Bank says the initiative forms part of its broader commitment to social development.
“At Standard Bank we believe growth is measured not only in economic terms, but also in the opportunities we help create for people and communities,” Iita says.
“Housing is one of the most powerful investments a society can make because it creates the foundation from which families, communities and economies can thrive.”
The bank did not provide details in its announcement on the total cost of the 84 houses or the number of households still awaiting housing in the area.
