By Staff Reporter
SWAKOPMUND, May 5 — Swakopmund’s Mayor, Dina Namubes, recently gifted the residents of the DRC informal settlement with new toilet facilities, courtesy of the Swakopmund Municipality. Although the plan was to construct seven toilet facilities in different public spaces in DRC, only six of them were completed. Both male and female toilets were included in the construction project.
The initiative is called Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) and aims to help residents understand the harmful effects of poor sanitation while empowering them to find solutions for inadequate sanitary conditions. The municipality stated that this approach focuses on the entire community rather than individual behaviours. The first significant step of CLTS is to end open defecation and change sanitation behaviour.
Along with the toilets, a kiosk was also given to the residents of DRC. The kiosk is intended for potential future businesses and will house security guards to work towards reducing unwanted activities in the community, including vandalism. A selected community member, chosen by DRC’s community leaders, will operate and maintain the kiosk.
The community members expressed their gratitude to the municipality for this initiative, which has the potential to improve the quality of life and safety of the residents, particularly that of women in the area. This project is a step forward in providing adequate sanitation facilities to the residents of informal settlements, ultimately contributing to a healthier and safer living environment. – Namibia Daily News
