The impact of poor sanitation on the well-being of the residents of the informal settlement of DRC Swakopmund
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Date
2025
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Publisher
University of Namibia
Abstract
This study is about the impact of poor sanitation on the well-being of the residents of the
informal settlement of DRC Swakopmund in Namibia. The study had four objectives, namely:
to determine the nature of sanitation facilities in the DRC Informal Settlement; to examine
sanitation-related problems in the DRC Informal Settlement; to examine income spending
related to poor sanitation; to solicit suggestions on how to improve the sanitation situation. The
study revealed that sanitation is very poor. With regard to sanitation-related problems, the study
found out that there is lack of sanitation education, open defecation, fouls of rubbish, faces,
and urine, contact with human waste, difficulty of the Council to access latrines for emptying,
and outbreaks of diseases. In regard to income spending, the study revealed that the residents
spend their income for health services, transport to health services, and spend a lot on treating
children who are more vulnerable to poor sanitation. As per the suggestions, the respondents
said that there was need to create more employment opportunities so that people can earn more
income so that they can be able to pay for sanitation facilities; the government needed to
provide adequate clean water; there was need for security when the public toilets are to be used
at night; there was need to get more organized groups of youths for environmental sanitation,
and; there was more need of community cooperation to deal with sanitation problems. The
study recommends that organizations and government combine efforts and work
collaboratively to minimize the chance of duplicated efforts and reaching a more significant
population with sanitation-related services and information; that in order to minimize the risk
of diarrheal diseases caused by poor sanitation and hygiene conditions, the community takes
responsibility for regularly cleaning and emptying these public restrooms; that programs that
are implemented by the NGOs and the ministry be tailor-made to suit the slum dwellers, and;
that further research is conducted to establish possible partnerships for the government,
community, and other stakeholders to promote sanitation practices in DRC
Description
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Art in Development Studies
Keywords
Open defecation, Education, Human waste, Income, Community, Namibia, University of Namibia