A housing justice network resourced through reciprocal partnerships & shared infrastructure

The Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia isn’t a development project.

It’s a self-organized network of low-income communities—mostly women-led—that solves housing inequity by pooling savings, building homes, and negotiating for land and resources.

They’ve been running The Bridge model since the early 2000s—resourcing their work through strategic partnerships with government and the private sector that respect community leadership and redistribute infrastructure, funding, and expertise.

Here’s how they do it—and what your network can learn.

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Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia at a Glance

🌍 Based in Namibia, active in 15 regions

👥 25,000+ members, 80% women-led savings groups

🏠 7,000+ homes built by communities for themselves

🤝 Partnerships with government ministries, banks, and construction companies

💸 Resourced through savings, sponsorships, land access, materials, and shared planning—not traditional aid

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How the Shack Dwellers Federation Implements The Bridge Model

1. Government Partnerships that Resource Community Funds

Instead of applying for grants, the Federation negotiated a formal partnership with the Namibian government.

• Government now contributes an annual subsidy to SDFN’s community-managed housing fund (Twahangana Fund)
• Local governments provide access to land, approve community-driven plans, and waive certain fees
• Agreements ensure funds are managed by communities—not imposed from above

✔ Resources flow into a community-owned structure

✔ Local authorities act as enablers—not controllers