Woman receives house her late mother waited a lifetime for

The handover of a new house in Okahandja Park last Friday was a bittersweet moment for Christine Kanguvi, who received the keys to a home originally intended for her late mother, Constansia Kanguvi.

Standing before community members and officials, Christine fought back tears. The house marked the fulfilment of a dream her mother had carried for most of her life – one she did not live to see realised.

“This house was meant for my mother,” Christine said.

“Although she is not physically here with us today, I know in my heart that her spirit is present and that she would have been proud to see this moment.”

Constansia’s efforts to secure land date back to 1993, when she and her family settled near the 4-Way Market.

Like many others at the time, they lived without formal land tenure or long-term security.

In 2000, Constansia joined the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia (SDFN) through a savings group known as Distaimu. Alongside other members, she became a committed advocate for access to land and housing.

For years, she attended meetings, saved hard-earned money and worked collectively with others despite the many hardships they endured. In 2003, after three years of organising, land was allocated to the group.

For the first time, the family could say they truly had a place to build their home.

Christine, who grew up within the movement and later joined it, said she witnessed first-hand the impact of collective action and remains active in community initiatives.

“It was the result of unity, sacrifice and determination by ordinary people who refused to give up,” she said.

Constansia remained involved in the SDFN for years until ill health forced her to step back. In 2019, her condition deteriorated following an amputation, leaving her wheelchair-bound.

Despite this, she remained hopeful.

In December last year, Christine informed her mother that she had been selected to receive a house. Constansia was overjoyed. It was the moment she had waited for her entire life.

She died on 28 December 2025, weeks before construction began.

Long fight for a home

During the handover ceremony, Christine dedicated the house to her mother’s memory.

“This house is not just a structure,” she said. “It represents my mother’s lifelong struggle, her commitment to the community and her belief that one day things would be better for me and her grandchildren.”

She thanked Alternative Building Technology (ABT), the SDFN, the Namibia Housing Action Group, government representatives and other partners involved in the project.

Christine also called for improved access to housing, saying no Namibian should have to live in a shack and that all deserve dignified living conditions.

“This moment is painful and beautiful at the same time,” she said. “But I know my mother’s spirit is at peace, knowing that her family now has a safe place to call home.”

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