Community housing project for KeetmansHousing with a difference Earth House Systems plans to construct 110 homes in a new type of housing development at Keetmanshoop. Earth House Systems, a Finnish construction company, plans to construct 110 homes in Keetmanshoop''s Kronlein suburb in the next two years. If the pilot project is a success, it plans to take it to other towns too.Finland''s honorary consul in Namibia, Timo Palander, and Finnish health and social welfare researchers on Thursday introduced the proposed community housing project to Keetmanshoop residents.
Earth House Systems and its Namibian partner, Lithon Project Consultants, are working in partnership with the Keetmanshoop municipality to create a socially conducive and healthy residential area for families, including elderly people and young children.
The neighbourhood is expected to include public areas such as parks and sports facilities for its residents. The houses will be affordable as they will be built using conventional as well as environment-friendly methods relevant to the area.
The houses are estimated to cost between N$500 000 and N$800 000 and are targeted at people who earn above N$15 000 per month.
The Finnish representatives asked the Keetmanshoop residents what they would like to see in their ideal neighbourhood.
The locals brought up ideas such as a swimming pool, trees, tarred roads, boundary walls and security systems.
The researchers also wanted to determine whether the families would require health assistance and day-care facilities for the elderly and children.
The project will simultaneously serve as a two-year research study for the University of Tampere, the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and the Namibia University of Science and Technology to find out if a set-up like that would be beneficial for healthy human relations.
Social welfare expert Inkeri Ruuskanen explained that this model would serve as a pilot project which, if it works, would be implemented in other parts of Namibia as well as in Finland.
“This started some years ago when Namibia and Finland engaged in ways to create a healthy environment for elderly people. Namibian families through the age spectrum are still close although it is also changing.
“In Finland, people are very independent and live individually. It would be great if the project could help communities in both countries to strengthen social relations,” Ruuskanen said.
Palander suggested that the group also think of waste recycling methods and fitness activities in the future neighbourhood.
The municipality''s local economic development manager, Jegg Christiaan, said he was excited about the proposed project.
“It takes into consideration the aspects of a township and we are excited not only about the housing, but about the plans for social infrastructure development,” he said.
Two model houses will be built early next year for show purposes.