San community desperate for warm clothes, blankets
An 80-strong community of San people living at Eendobe in the Okongo constituency of the Ohangwena Region are in dire need of blankets and clothes to beat the winter cold.
The majority of them sleep on thin mattresses, while others don’t own a single blanket. They are requesting Good Samaritans to assist them.
“Any kind of warmth; any kind of shelter from the cold; any kind of food you can provide is a tremendous help to them,” Rakkel Nekongo said.
She is the caretaker at the San centre, which is part of government’s efforts to assist the group of marginalised people.
“It gets very cold at night. Sometimes that little piece of tarp is all that stands between life and death,” she said.
Built at Eendobe village in 2005 - on former deputy prime minister Libertina Amathila's instruction - the group’s 29 two-room houses accommodate about five people per household, while some house more.
Over 80 people live here, with numbers increasing every year.
“There are people hungry; there are people who are cold; there are people freezing; there are people exposed to the elements who need help right now,” Nekongo said.
Last Thursday, the group gathered to air their grievances to ombudsman investigator Oiva Amuthenu, who is there to listen to the plights of the San people and educate them on their rights and the mandate of the Office of the Ombudsman.
Community members thanked him for what they termed “a good initiative” and requested regular visits.
Terrible living conditions
Ninety-six-year-old pensioner Leena Haingura is the oldest person in the settlement. Her living conditions are terrible - her room is dirty, she doesn’t have bedding and she sleeps on the floor.
According to her daughter Maria Hangula (65), she receives her pension each month but apparently a woman - identified only as Nangula from the same village – fetches the money on her behalf and helps herself to some of it.
Haingura shivers and asks that the fire be brought in her room to keep her warm. The people refuse. They fear her clothes will go up in flames.
She then asks for a lighter to smoke. They oblige.
The houses here are about 500 metres apart.
Lying on his back, Paulus Pinehas (43) has a blanket under him but is not dressed warmly on this chilly day. He is not very chatty, but echoes Nekongo’s sentiments – he needs warm clothes more than anything.
“The clothes donated will be on the backs of those who need them most. People like us need to come and help them out on an individual one-on-one basis,” Nekongo said.
“If the community would pull together and continue to take care of each other, then we can get through those issues,” she added.
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The majority of them sleep on thin mattresses, while others don’t own a single blanket. They are requesting Good Samaritans to assist them.
“Any kind of warmth; any kind of shelter from the cold; any kind of food you can provide is a tremendous help to them,” Rakkel Nekongo said.
She is the caretaker at the San centre, which is part of government’s efforts to assist the group of marginalised people.
“It gets very cold at night. Sometimes that little piece of tarp is all that stands between life and death,” she said.
Built at Eendobe village in 2005 - on former deputy prime minister Libertina Amathila's instruction - the group’s 29 two-room houses accommodate about five people per household, while some house more.
Over 80 people live here, with numbers increasing every year.
“There are people hungry; there are people who are cold; there are people freezing; there are people exposed to the elements who need help right now,” Nekongo said.
Last Thursday, the group gathered to air their grievances to ombudsman investigator Oiva Amuthenu, who is there to listen to the plights of the San people and educate them on their rights and the mandate of the Office of the Ombudsman.
Community members thanked him for what they termed “a good initiative” and requested regular visits.
Terrible living conditions
Ninety-six-year-old pensioner Leena Haingura is the oldest person in the settlement. Her living conditions are terrible - her room is dirty, she doesn’t have bedding and she sleeps on the floor.
According to her daughter Maria Hangula (65), she receives her pension each month but apparently a woman - identified only as Nangula from the same village – fetches the money on her behalf and helps herself to some of it.
Haingura shivers and asks that the fire be brought in her room to keep her warm. The people refuse. They fear her clothes will go up in flames.
She then asks for a lighter to smoke. They oblige.
The houses here are about 500 metres apart.
Lying on his back, Paulus Pinehas (43) has a blanket under him but is not dressed warmly on this chilly day. He is not very chatty, but echoes Nekongo’s sentiments – he needs warm clothes more than anything.
“The clothes donated will be on the backs of those who need them most. People like us need to come and help them out on an individual one-on-one basis,” Nekongo said.
“If the community would pull together and continue to take care of each other, then we can get through those issues,” she added.
- [email protected]
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