A joyous atmosphere of the festive season has been shattered for 19 displaced families residing at Windhoek's Katutura Youth Complex.

A destructive fire tore through their place of residence, leaving families devastated and homes reduced to ashes.

Community members made efforts to extinguish the fire despite the challenge of the water tap being approximately 100 metres away.

The emergency services responded to the distress call, deploying firefighters to tackle the inferno.

A caretaker for displaced people at the Katutura Youth Complex has appealed to good Samaritans, including the government, to come to the aid of the homeless.

A number of homeless people were moved to the sports grounds in March 2020, during the outbreak of COVID-19.

It was raining and cold on Monday, and the temporary tents provided for them three years ago were wet through.

Many wonder why these people are homeless, where they come from, and why they are not returning to their families.