Temporary shelter becomes ‘permanent’ home
Volunteer shares her story
In the past almost three years, four residents have lost their lives while living here.
The temporary shelter that was created with the onset of Covid-19 in 2020 at the Katutura multi-purpose center still houses more than 100 people, with four that died on the site in the last two and a half years.According to a volunteer, who chose to remain anonymous, of the people still living at the site, 36 are homeless. Of these, three are elderly and 45 are youth, along with 14 toddlers and 12 newborn babies, the eldest of which is around six weeks.
Another volunteer is assisting in trying to find other accommodation for the elderly an old-age home.
The volunteer said initially they were 24 volunteers at the multi-purpose centre but only seven remained to help where they can. “The donations that came during Covid all stopped and now these people are left to fend for themselves. They have nowhere else to go and everyone is turning a blind eye,” she said.
She is not sure why they were moved to an open air space in the first place.
The volunteers are also struggling. “As volunteers, we also don’t know what the plan is with regards to relocating the homeless to other shelters.”
She admitted that four people have died since the shelter was created, mostly from being sick. “Almost three years later, these tents don’t hold up anymore and it doesn’t hold out the cold.” Those who were too late to claim a tent, created makeshift shelter from plastic and blankets, but the cold and the wind still finds a way to creep in.
Some of the women with babies get first choice of staying in a building on the premises but there hasn’t been water for two weeks and the bathroom facilities haven’t been in a working condition since they shelter opened. “The youth ministry is simply not maintaining it,” she said.
A 19-year-old snuggles with her week-old son, begging for milk and nappies. He is her fourth child in four years. Most newborns are without nappies because there is just no money or any donations. “The moms also struggle to afford milk,” the volunteer said.
Toddlers run around without shoes or something warm. “Most of the children are in school, but the need here remains.
“There are still a number of former South West African Territorial Force (SWATF) members on the premises, refusing any offers from government,” she said, adding that the government is willing to assist them while the rest on the same site are not receiving anything.
She added that the youth were previously accommodated at the Commando Hall at the so-called Herero Mall, but all of them lost their jobs during Covid and now they are struggling to get back on their feet. “They are willing to work, but they are not finding jobs. They don’t want to stay here. They want to be able to be able to support themselves.”
If you would like to help with donations, the volunteers can be contacted at 081 277 0623.
At the time of going to print, the City of Windhoek had not responded to questions regarding the water situation at the shelter.