Kunene's Sida Di/Goan initiative lauded

President Hage Geingob expressed delight with the Sida Di/Goan initiative, which specialises in repairing the broken chairs, tables and beds of schools in the Kunene Region.The initiative, which was founded by the governor of Kunene Marius Sheya in December 2018 and translates to 'Our Children, Our Responsibility' from Khoekhoegowab, was on Friday officially launched by Geingob at Kamanjab.Geingob, during the launch, said the initiative is extraordinary as it cuts on the costs of purchasing new items, which are usually expensive and that the replication of this initiative in the other 13 regions is an absolute must and should be spearheaded by each regional governor.“It is a worthy emulating example. It only needs human resources for labour,” he said, referring to the 14 volunteers who carry out the repairs.On his part, Sheya announced that the programme has so far repaired a total of 2 000 school tables, 2 000 chairs and 216 beds for hostel dwellers, which were all broken and discarded at different school yards in Kamanjab.Education minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa at the same event vowed to set aside a budget for this programme in each region going forward.She said the challenge of broken chairs, desks and beds for hostel dwellers is an eyesore at most of the government schools, and therefore, repairing them with volunteers without going on tender would be the way forward.At the same event, the Chinese ambassador to Namibia, Zhang Yiming pledged a donation of 40 000 schoolbags to be given for free to different schools across the country.Yiming said the Chinese government made N$100 000 available this year towards the Sida Di/Goan initiative.“Before September this year, we from the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation plan to raise funds from ordinary Chinese online, so that we can use the money to buy and donate 40 000 fully equipped panda pack schoolbags to learners in Namibia,” he said.Yiming also said his government strongly believes that the future of any country lies in the hands of the young people, therefore, Yiming expressed his wish to see all school-going Namibians carry their books and other learning tools in secure schoolbags.The fisheries minister Bernhardt Esau also handed over a total of 1 387 new school mattresses to the school hostel dwellers in the Kunene Region in order to support the initiative.The mattresses were purchased by the Namibia Fish Consumption Promotion Trust in collaboration with the ministry at a cost of over N$478 000.The trust also donated 12 new computers to the Kunene Region's directorate of education, worth over N$221 000.Esau commended the Sida Di/Goan initiative, saying it is a gesture of commitment towards education for all in the country.

Kunene's Sida Di/Goan initiative lauded

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-18

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Kunene's Sida Di/Goan initiative lauded

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-18

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