The Build Together Housing Project, aimed at addressing homelessness in Namibia, has been revived at Fransfontein Settlement in Kunene Region. 

Recently, the settlement office there has been busy with the construction of low-cost brick houses for its residents, some of whom lived in mud or zinc structures.

According to Fransfontein Village Council Control Administration Officer, Kalush Aipinge, the revived housing project is part of the initial project implemented in 1995 under the same program.

The development budget is about N$1.4 million for the construction of 20 houses.

"In this current phase, we are busy with the twenty houses, which are now ongoing. This is backdated as far as 1995. When Mass Housing came into operation, Build Together was halted, and these beneficiaries are those of 2010–2011. What has happened is that we have resumed because Mass Housing has been halted; we are now continuing with the Build Together houses. In this phase, we are talking about 20 houses. There are 16 houses that are two-bedrooms, and four houses are single-bedrooms."

Aipinge says the houses, valued at about N$79,000 each, are expected to be completed by the end of this year.

"Look at this mansion. A two-bedroom house, but it's just in the range of N$79,000. I am sure you will get a chance to go in and see the material being used. They are quality materials. If you look at the cost of all the materials involved, it means that the beneficiaries are on the winning side, and that's why we say these houses are very affordable. This is not free; beneficiaries will pay back in the long term, but it's very affordable, and the monthly charge is very small."

There are currently 100 people on the waiting list for the Building Together project.