Residents of Green Valley at Farm 37 were recently met with a visit from Walvis Bay Mayor, Cllr. Trevino Forbes, who came to listen and offer solutions to their concerns. In a heartfelt gesture, the mayor personally arranged transport through King Charcoal, ensuring that the children of Green Valley could continue to get to school safely until the term ends. This comes after the sudden halt of previous transportation services, leaving families in a challenging position.
Accompanying Mayor Forbes were staff members Mr. Theo Potgieter (General Manager of Roads & Building Control), Mr. Erikson Mwanyekange (General Manager of Community and Economic Development), Senior Traffic Officer Mr. Asser Tjikuniva, and Deputy Mayor Cllr. Saara Mutondoka—who were all eager to engage with the community and address pressing issues around sewage and electricity.
In a show of solidarity, the mayor announced that all water and electricity bills would be temporarily paused, giving Green Valley families some financial ease while the municipality works on interim solutions. Mr. Potgieter shared the good news that the municipality’s new CEO, Ms. Victoria Kapenda, had secured funding to install solar streetlights, bringing light to the streets of Farm 37 until full electricity can be provided. To further ease the strain, more water points will be rolled out as a temporary fix for the lack of sewage infrastructure. The community expressed that the current ablution facilities were insufficient, but their voices were heard.
Mr. Tjikuniva also brought a sense of progress, informing residents that street signs would soon be a reality, making navigation easier and improving the overall safety of the area.
Adding to this positive momentum, the mayor also assisted in distributing solar-powered lights to the community, a project funded by the Youth Climate Action Fund. This initiative, which received N$1 million from the Bloomberg Centre for Public Innovation, was secured by the mayor during official duties in Dubai last year. The fund supports 12 youth-oriented climate projects and will continue until the end of December this year. One such youth project recipient was Peneyambeko Shituleipo. She received N$80 000, with which you procured 85 solar-powered lights for the 85 households in Green Valley with school-going children. Shituleipo stated that once she saw the poster for the Youth Climate Action Fund she “Knew I could make a difference in the lives of the people at Green Valley”.
Throughout the visit, Mayor Forbes encouraged the community to continue sharing their concerns, and assuring them that their voices matter. “Developing Walvis Bay is a team effort,” he reminded them, with a hopeful vision for the future. The visit left residents not only heard but hopeful, knowing that change is on the horizon and that they are not alone in this journey.