Back home after 17 years
Struggling to find a decent job and on the brink of losing her home, the then-42-year-old left kith and kin behind to build a better life for herself abroad.
JEMIMA BEUKES
WINDHOEK
With a local bank threatening to repossess her home, jobless Ester Kershaw left Namibia 17 years ago to pursue a better life overseas. But back then, she had no idea what life on the other side of the world would be like.
The Namibian, who left her motherland at the age of 42 to look for a better life in the United Kingdom (UK), cautioned young Namibians that without education, living abroad can be difficult.
Seventeen years later, she returned home for holidays recently, and said she is pleasantly surprised that the country she left is improving.
Kershaw, a committed Christian, was well-known in the church amongst the Ovaherero community almost two decades ago and had been firmly settled, but packed her bags when she was on the brink of losing her house and struggling to find a decent job.
“I left the country to go and find a job, but it was too late for me, they took the house. But I stayed in the UK to work as a carer and it is good for me. When I left Namibia, things were not looking so good but now I see a lot of development,” she said.
Kershaw said if government steps up and addresses corruption head on, Namibia can easily compete with the UK in terms of quality of living.
It is, however, the high levels of corruption threatening to destroy Namibia and leave the country destitute, she said.
Namibian Sun spoke to her yesterday at Commando Hall No 2 where locals collected parcels that arrived via sea in a container. The items ranged from furniture and electronic equipment to clothes, cutlery and other household items sent by relatives abroad.
Youth need support
While she observed the youth to be organised and entrepreneurial, she is worried they may not have the support they need to help them build good businesses.
The Old Location native said her heart was warmed when she returned to find good services and improved health infrastructure.
“I had a flu when I arrived and I was advised to just go to the Donkerhoek Clinic and not a private hospital, and I was so surprised to find proper toilets without broken parts. The way people are talking about things when we are abroad, I thought things were falling apart, but it is even cleaner here and service was really impressive,” she said.
She added that life is very competitive and expensive in the UK and while one can make lots of money, it would be better to stay home and build a home and good life.
Bilateral agreements
She advised government to sign bilateral agreements with the UK to allow young Namibians to work in that country on a four-year working holiday so they can make money to start building a good life.
“I can advise them to go into business, but a business needs start-up capital, so how can they start without that?
“I can see that the youth are really business-minded, but they don’t have the money and even their mom and dad cannot help them,” she said.
[email protected]
WINDHOEK
With a local bank threatening to repossess her home, jobless Ester Kershaw left Namibia 17 years ago to pursue a better life overseas. But back then, she had no idea what life on the other side of the world would be like.
The Namibian, who left her motherland at the age of 42 to look for a better life in the United Kingdom (UK), cautioned young Namibians that without education, living abroad can be difficult.
Seventeen years later, she returned home for holidays recently, and said she is pleasantly surprised that the country she left is improving.
Kershaw, a committed Christian, was well-known in the church amongst the Ovaherero community almost two decades ago and had been firmly settled, but packed her bags when she was on the brink of losing her house and struggling to find a decent job.
“I left the country to go and find a job, but it was too late for me, they took the house. But I stayed in the UK to work as a carer and it is good for me. When I left Namibia, things were not looking so good but now I see a lot of development,” she said.
Kershaw said if government steps up and addresses corruption head on, Namibia can easily compete with the UK in terms of quality of living.
It is, however, the high levels of corruption threatening to destroy Namibia and leave the country destitute, she said.
Namibian Sun spoke to her yesterday at Commando Hall No 2 where locals collected parcels that arrived via sea in a container. The items ranged from furniture and electronic equipment to clothes, cutlery and other household items sent by relatives abroad.
Youth need support
While she observed the youth to be organised and entrepreneurial, she is worried they may not have the support they need to help them build good businesses.
The Old Location native said her heart was warmed when she returned to find good services and improved health infrastructure.
“I had a flu when I arrived and I was advised to just go to the Donkerhoek Clinic and not a private hospital, and I was so surprised to find proper toilets without broken parts. The way people are talking about things when we are abroad, I thought things were falling apart, but it is even cleaner here and service was really impressive,” she said.
She added that life is very competitive and expensive in the UK and while one can make lots of money, it would be better to stay home and build a home and good life.
Bilateral agreements
She advised government to sign bilateral agreements with the UK to allow young Namibians to work in that country on a four-year working holiday so they can make money to start building a good life.
“I can advise them to go into business, but a business needs start-up capital, so how can they start without that?
“I can see that the youth are really business-minded, but they don’t have the money and even their mom and dad cannot help them,” she said.
[email protected]
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article