Published on Wansolwara Online and republished on the PACMAS blog.
It’s a chaotic scene of make-shift homes made from rusty iron sheets, worn-out tarpaulins and even discarded plastic panels. Space is not a luxury here.
The unattractive scene is a reality of what we see near our urban and sub-urban areas. These are squatter settlements. The term is heavily-laced with stereotypes, and, for some of those who don’t know better it is accompanied with a wince and grimace.
Those who do not live among them might find it difficult to understand what life is like in a squatter settlement. In fact, research has established that most of what people know about squatter settlements is far from the truth. These myths were exposed to a group of journalists who were given the opportunity to visit squatters at a workshop on housing rights. The group visited a squatter settlement in Tacirua. It is home to about 3000 people. A UN-Habitat background feature had a list of the most common myths surrounding squatters.
I was one, guilty of harboring these ideas when I first ventured in to meet the people at the Tacirua settlement. When we arrived, they had gathered in one of the larger houses to welcome and speak to us. The sense of togetherness was overwhelming, considering the multi-ethnic backgrounds of the residents. Let’s explore the seven main myths that surround squatter settlements:
Myth #1: “Squatter settlements serve no purpose.” Barau, a young man from the settlement talked about how his family came to the main island for education and work. They managed to rent a house for some time but with the cost of living and supporting the children, they had to move to an informal settlement. That way, his younger siblings could go to school and he and his parents could work to support them. The informal settlement was home for them and many others. It was their life-line to cater for the cost-of-living and give their children a better future.
Myth #2: “Slums are the fault of slum dwellers who do not want to help themselves.” This also proved not true. There was a man present, Timoci, from Kadavu who was married with eight kids. His children all attended school and his eldest son attended USP. Timoci planted grog in Kadavu to support his family and travelled back and forth to tend to and sell waka. Housing and land were too expensive, even with the reasonable amount of money he made from the grog. The most affordable home he could build was at the Tacirua settlement and he took the offer, choosing to at least have a home for his family that was nearer to school. He is obviously a hard-working father and husband, wanting to help himself and his family.
Myth #3: “All squatter settlements are the same, and all squatters are poor.” Timoci is able to pay off tertiary fees for his son and support eight children. He makes due with what he earns from the grog he sells. Curiously, the taxi driver that drove us to the settlement also lived there with his family. Both he and Timoci earn a reasonable amount of money. On the other hand, Barau and his family receive minimum wages and struggle to take care of everyday expenses. A considerable amount of those in squatter settlements are poor but not all.
Myth #4: “Slum dwellers are a burden on the economy”. During the workshop, Fr. Kevin Barr presented statistics that showed over half of the population in employment was living in poverty and 15% of these reside in squatter settlements. At the squatter settlement, those that I spoke to above 16 and not attending school were employed. Otherwise the elderly and mothers stayed home. Barau was 20 and he left school at 17 to work at a cement factory, like most of the young men in the settlement. Instead of being a burden, these people can contribute to the economy and do so, being the main contributors to the informal sector.
Myth #5: “Crime emanates from the slums.” The families at the Tacirua settlement had small arrangements between each other. Some families share water and electricity between them, seemingly content with their lives. Sadly, it’s those in squatter settlements who are easy victims for crime. Barau expressed that the lack of lights made it unsafe for women at night. He said, the settlement was safe, since the families knew each other but it was the nearby neighborhoods that were a cause for concern.
Myth #6: “Squatters are just people who don’t want to pay rent.” No one wants to pay rent. I would love to get a place and not pay anything but that’s just not how it works. For this community it appeared that everyone in the settlement paid what they had to the land-owner, who on some occasions increased rent to fund his family functions. They paid to keep their homes and avoid eviction.
Myth #7: “The poor contribute nothing to society and nothing good ever came out of the slums.” Most of the houses in squatter settlements were built from scratch, with limited resources. The plumbing and the alternative water sources also created from the people’s own initiative. Majority of those old enough to be employed are working and braving the meager wages with a budget that helps them survive. These capabilities, creativity and hard work are hard to find even in our “rich” societies. They could contribute much to society if given the chance. Society’s perspective on squatter settlements should be readjusted to bring about change. It is ironic that to survive what they do, they are some of the strongest of our society but yet the most marginalized.
(The names of those mentioned have been changed for the purpose of this article and the name of the settlement not given.)
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