Living on ‘pap’ and salt

The homeless family has been surviving on this diet for about a month, after losing all their belongings in a fire that burned to ashes the family’s only dwelling - a hut. It was a heart-wrenching sight where the family of 11 lives after they were left homeless by the early August fire. The only home belonging to Helvi ‘Nekomba’ Kambala went up in smoke on August 4 while she was not home. Narrating her story to Namibian Sun on Saturday, Kambala said she left home and went to the cuca shop. The sorrowful Kambala said while she was still at the cuca shop someone rushed to her and told her that her room was on fire. “I didn’t know what to do, the person I was with rushed to my house to put out the fire, but it was too late and all my things burned in there,” said Kambala wiping tears rolling down her face. The teary 60-year-old said the fire could have been caused by the children playing with fire at home. She said although she was grateful no one was hurt, none of the family’s belongings could be taken out when neighbours rushed to her home to help. Kambala further stated that the family of 11 has then been sleeping on the floor close to a fire because they have no blankets to cover themselves at night. She said friends and neighbours have come to her and given her mahangu to feed her family. “Some people gave us some blankets which we have been using ever since but they are not enough for all of us so we cover the small ones and we, the elders, sleep next to the fire,” she said. “I can be honest with you, we have been eating porridge with salt all these days and when the mahangu is finished we just go to bed without eating anything,” said Kambala. She also said she has been supporting her family by making traditional baskets, and the two that she had made also perished in the fire. Kambala said she reported their case to the headman who promised to come and view the site before giving her the letter needed to go to the councillor’s office. She said the people provided only maize meal bags under the drought relief programme once this year, but her bags had also perished in the fire. Kambala said she was only registered for the pension grant in July this year and payments take three months to process at the outset. She further stated that there are seven orphans that live with her, but are not all registered for the orphans grant. Kambala said two of the children she lives with do not go to school because of the long distance they have to travel to and from the school. “School is so far, and they are small so they do not go to school because of the distance,” she said. Any good Samaritan to help The sad Kambala said she wants to go for a cataract surgery to be able to help her family again. She was totally blind, but in 2012 she regained her sight again after her first cataract surgery. Her left eye has since been giving her problems. “I want people to help me get my left eye [to] see again, so I appeal to any Good Samaritan to help me,” she appealed. She also called on government to help her with food, blankets and corrugated iron to construct a proper house for her family. Kambala, who never had a bed before in her hut, also appealed to Namibians to help her with mattresses or a bed for her family. Currently the family sleeps on the ground, with fear of snakes or scorpions. “I know there are snakes and scorpions but we believe that God is looking upon us and will protect us every time,” she said. The family also would like land to cultivate on. Kambala said the little piece of land that they have is not fertile for cultivation, and that fertile land will be a bonus to her. She said her family did not harvest anything from her field this year, due to the lack of rain received in her area. Constituency Councillor Joseph Imbili told Namibian Sun that Kambala’s case has not yet been reported to his office. “We have received a lot of similar cases but that specific one of Oshaampula did not reach my office” he said. He stated that his office has assisted a lot of people who have lost their belongings in similar cases, and his office is ready to help Kambala. OSHAAMPULA KAINO NGHITONGO