Development Workshop Namibia (DWN) is an NGO specialising in sustainable urban development. They provide technical, financial and other support to local authorities to assist them with addressing urban development challenges. DWN has four main areas of intervention to support disadvantaged urban communities: the provision of serviced low-cost residential land, improved sanitation, early childhood development and assistance with improving urban infrastructure.
The Twin Hills Trust supports the following DWN projects:
Investment in early childhood development (ECD) is an effective approach for societies to strengthen their human capital. A child’s early years lay the foundation for good brain development and a broad range of learning abilities and skills. In Namibia, however, less than 20% of children aged under four attend ECD programmes and the government has made ECD support a national priority.
DWN assists existing ECD centres by:
Twin Hills Trust funding allowed DWN to expand its work to now support over 26 ECD centres, supporting more than 800 children, in the informal settlements of Omaruru and Karibib.
The lack of affordable land for housing is the single most important factor contributing to the continued and rapid growth of informal settlements. DWN empowers local authorities to provide serviced land, at cost, for low-income earners to purchase, thus contributing to more sustainable and inclusive urban development.
Karibib has experienced continued and rapid growth of its informal settlements and DWN has entered into a partnership with the town council to implement a land delivery project. Funding by the Twin Hills Trust has allowed DWN to accelerate this project by subsidising additional plots in Karibib’s Usab Township. The capital recouped from the sale of plots goes back into a rotating fund that is used to finance the development of further plots.
The Twin Hills Trust is a not-for-profit organisation, registered and based in Namibia.
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