President urges counselling as Namibia mourns crash victims
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has underscored the importance of emotional healing as Namibia mourns the deaths of 16 people in a horrific road accident last weekend.
The tragedy, which claimed the lives of officers from the Namibian Police and the Namibian Correctional Service (NCS), two civilian sisters and an unborn child, has plunged the nation into grief.
While extending condolences at Mariental, the president said government’s response would not end with funeral assistance but would also prioritise counselling and psychosocial support for the bereaved and survivors.
“We also cannot overlook the invisible wounds carried by those left behind,” she said. “To assist the bereaved family members, survivors and colleagues affected by this tragedy, the government has dispatched various teams, including investigators and wellness officers, to Mariental to render counselling and psycho-social support services.”
Rebuilding lives
She urged families and colleagues of the deceased to make use of these services.
“Emotional healing is as important as physical recovery, and it is through compassion, care and professional guidance that the bereaved and affected colleagues can begin to rebuild their lives after this devastating loss,” the president emphasised.
Government, together with the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund, is providing support for funeral arrangements, including swift issuance of death certificates and burial documents through the home affairs ministry. But the president stressed that healing the psychological scars would take time and care.
“As we grieve together, let us also remember the living – those who carry the pain of loss and the trauma of survival,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
“Namibia’s resilience will be measured not only in how we honour the dead, but in how we support the living to stand again.”
The tragedy, which claimed the lives of officers from the Namibian Police and the Namibian Correctional Service (NCS), two civilian sisters and an unborn child, has plunged the nation into grief.
While extending condolences at Mariental, the president said government’s response would not end with funeral assistance but would also prioritise counselling and psychosocial support for the bereaved and survivors.
“We also cannot overlook the invisible wounds carried by those left behind,” she said. “To assist the bereaved family members, survivors and colleagues affected by this tragedy, the government has dispatched various teams, including investigators and wellness officers, to Mariental to render counselling and psycho-social support services.”
Rebuilding lives
She urged families and colleagues of the deceased to make use of these services.
“Emotional healing is as important as physical recovery, and it is through compassion, care and professional guidance that the bereaved and affected colleagues can begin to rebuild their lives after this devastating loss,” the president emphasised.
Government, together with the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund, is providing support for funeral arrangements, including swift issuance of death certificates and burial documents through the home affairs ministry. But the president stressed that healing the psychological scars would take time and care.
“As we grieve together, let us also remember the living – those who carry the pain of loss and the trauma of survival,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
“Namibia’s resilience will be measured not only in how we honour the dead, but in how we support the living to stand again.”
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Namibian Sun
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