Telecommunications firm joins efforts to bridge housing gap
MTC has partnered with the Shack Dwellers Federation and through its Corporate Social responsibility arm announced recently an N$800,000 donation towards the Federation.
Chief Human Capital and Corporate Affairs Officer of MTC, Tim Ekandjo, last week made the announcement at the official handover of the Standard Bank Buy n Brick initiative that is aimed at raising funds for the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia.
“We are well aware of the extreme housing shortage, and the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia has been extremely positive and efficient in making a difference by building a complete house for their members at a cost of N$40,000 only,” he said.
Ekandjo said the N$800,000 to the initiative will assist with the construction of a total of 20 houses.
“I know it is a small difference taking into consideration the huge shortage of houses in Namibia, but if we can all participate and make our contributions, it will become impactful in the fight against housing,” he said.
“Spending an hour with families living in shacks this afternoon in the DRC informal settlement, we realised that there is no difference between them, and us but what distinguishes us is lack of opportunity they never had. They cannot give themselves these opportunities, it is our collective responsibility to create opportunities for them to lift them out of poverty, and today MTC would like to do so with this contribution now and in the future,” Ekandjo added.
Attending the handing over ceremony was also Deputy Minister of Urban and Rural Development,
Derek Klazen and Standard Bank CEO Mr Vetumbuavi Mungunda.
Through various contributions, raised Standard Bank raised a total amount of N$3.7 million towards the 2018 Buy a brick Initiative this year. Mungunda and the Deputy Minister were on hand to confirm the transfer of the funds to the representatives of the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia of this generous offer.
