A former homeless family of 11 at Walvis Bay is now the proud owner of a new three-bedroom house.

This is after the Walvis Bay Municipality and the Walvis Bay Rural Constituency came to the rescue of Johannes Hamutenya's family.

The house was donated to 18-year-old Johannes Hamutenya, who was born paralysed and is unable to walk or speak.

Hamutenya's mother, Justina Hamutenya, says her family has been without a proper house for decades as they moved from place to place in the harbour town.