Life in the Township

Life in the Township

What is the DRC?

The DRC (Democratic Resettlement Community) is located on the outskirts of Swakopmund and is the city’s largest informal settlement – and one of the largest in all of Namibia. Originally planned as a temporary solution, the DRC has developed into a permanent home for around 40,000 to 50,000 people. And the number is growing daily.

Many families live in shacks made of corrugated iron, wood, and other salvaged materials. The reason behind this is that permanent and solid construction is not permitted, as the municipal authorities still need to plan essential infrastructure such as access to water or proper road layouts. Currently, the shacks are built far too close together. While some plots now have access to electricity and running water, the majority still lack access to these basic services. Sanitary facilities are also missing in most areas.

In the central part of the settlement, there is now street lighting, street names, and dry pit latrines installed by the city, which are shared by about five households each. In the outer areas, however, there is no lighting, no toilets, and no structured street layout – making everyday life especially challenging, particularly for children.

Challenges in Daily Life

Daily life in the DRC is tiring and shaped by constant improvisation. Nothing can be taken for granted. Every task requires several times more energy than it would for people living in Europe:

Fetching water: Water is only available at public water points. Families own a small plastic key which they can top up with credit at the municipality to access water from the taps. The water then has to be carried in containers or transported using wheelbarrows, often over long distances.
Laundry & hygiene: Water is heated on gas stoves or over open fires. Laundry is then washed by hand, usually outdoors, in all kinds of weather – wind, sun, or sandstorms. Even young children often help with these tasks.
Cooking & energy: Cooking is done with gas or wood, both of which are expensive or difficult to obtain. Inside the shacks, heat and smoke accumulate, which is not only unpleasant but also a serious health risk. Fires regularly break out when gas bottles tip over or flames are left unattended – often with devastating consequences for entire families and neighbourhoods, as fires spread quickly.
Work & income: Most residents work in the informal sector: selling second-hand clothing, grilled meat (Kapana), fruit, or sweets on the street. Many take on casual jobs on construction sites or as cleaners. Their income is unreliable – if they get sick, they earn nothing.

Social Challenges

Responsibilities of Children: Many children take on responsibilities at home – helping fetch water, cook, or care for younger siblings – often already at primary school age. There is hardly any time for leisure, rest, or personal space.
Safety: Especially in the outer areas of the DRC, there is no street lighting and a lack of toilets. Girls often only go to the toilet in groups – out of fear of assault.
Health and Nutrition: Due to irregular income, many families can only afford one meal a day. Illnesses like skin infections, diarrhoea, or respiratory diseases are widespread – yet many parents cannot afford a doctor or don’t have the time to take their children to a clinic.

Hey! Ich bin Hendrina. Komm mit meiner Schwester und mir nach Hause! (2)

Family Responsibility and Generational Burden

Many Namibian families live in extended family structures. One income often carries the burden of multiple generations – parents, siblings, grandparents, nieces, and nephews. Those who earn share what they have. Those who don’t earn rely on support. This sense of solidarity is deeply rooted in everyday life.

In many households, one income is never enough for just one person. It is therefore not uncommon for a single salary to support 5 to 10 family members – providing food, paying school fees, or covering medical expenses.

Youth unemployment rate – Alarming numbers

The lack of perspective among young people is one of the greatest challenges in Namibia – and it is especially visible in the DRC:

Nationwide (ages 15–34): 44.4% youth unemployment (NSA Census 2023)

In addition, around one third of young people are neither in education nor employed – the so-called NEETs (Not in Education, Employment or Training). They are at serious risk of being left behind in the long term.

Why so many Children? Looking at the reality

From the outside, it can sometimes be difficult to understand why some families have many children – especially under such difficult economic conditions. But behind this lies a pragmatic, intergenerational mindset:

“If I have five children: one might die young. One may struggle – due to illness, disability, or alcohol. But maybe three will make it – and those three might be able to support me one day.”

This way of thinking is often rooted in concern for old age. The state pension in Namibia is around 70€ or 1400 N$ per month – far too little to live on with dignity. Children are therefore not only seen as a joy or blessing, but also as a form of retirement security.

At the same time, this pressure means that children take on responsibility at an early age – whether financial, emotional, or practical. Education, emotional safety, and real opportunities for the future are not a given – they are things many children must work hard to earn.

Why is Education the Key?

Education is the key – not only for the individual child, but for entire families.
In a place like the DRC, education means far more than academic knowledge. It represents a real chance for a self-determined life – a possible way out of the cycle of poverty, dependence, and limited opportunities.

Many children grow up in environments where teen pregnancies, lack of school qualifications, or the pressure to earn money at an early age are part of everyday life. Without support, they often repeat the same patterns as the generation before them.

But education gives children the power to break free – from expectations that harm them, and from deeply rooted patterns passed down through generations. They learn to make their own choices, to take responsibility for their lives – and eventually, to give back to their community.

Each of our children is a bearer of hope for their entire family.

In Namibia, the success of a single child often carries the hopes of many: for financial stability, for education for younger siblings, for a home with electricity and water, for dignity in old age.

Our work has shown for over ten years:
It works.
The first children we supported are now studying, pursuing vocational training, working – and beginning to build a better life not just for themselves, but also for their families and future children.

Education doesn’t just create opportunity. It breaks the cycle.