Development Workshop Namibia (DWN) is a recently registered Namibian NGO with a focus on sustainable urban development, informal settlements and the disadvantaged communities that reside in them. DWN is part of a world-wide network of Development Workshop (DW) organisations with centers in Canada, Angola and France, and offices in Vietnam and Burkino Faso. It is funded by non-governmental organisations, private citizens, and national and international development organisations. DW is not a funding organization and does not raise funds directly from the public. DW was founded in 1975 by three Canadian architect students with the objective to improve the livelihoods of poor and disadvantaged communities, with a specific focus on human settlements. Over the last 40 years, DW has implemented many award winning and successful programmes in over 30 countries in Africa, Asia and the Americas. DW’s biggest operation is currently in Angola, where it started working in 1981 (www.dw.angonet.org). Active in the sectors of peace-building & reconciliation, water & sanitation, urban infrastructure, urban planning, research & advocacy, micro-finance and climate change & environment, DW Angola had, at peak times, more than 150 employees. It established a micro finance institution, that today has more than 50, 000 clients and runs a successful and sustainable social housing programme.
