Okombahe bakery now operational
Previously, residents of Okombahe had to buy bread from the nearby settlement of Uis.
A bakery project started for youth empowerment at Okombahe in Erongo Region started operating on Wednesday.
Speaking to Nampa upon enquiry on Friday, bakery manager Charline Xawes said they baked their first batch of bread last week and sold it to the community.
She said there are seven young people who are running the project to generate income for themselves.
The project was made possible by the National Youth Council (NYC), which granted N$200 000 in 2015, but the project stalled because it needed more money.
Xawes said they could not operate because they needed N$2 000 for an electricity connection.
She said Metropolitan Life assisted them with N$20 000 to cover the electricity connection and supplies.
“We currently do not have flour to bake and supply in bulk. We are waiting for the Daure constituency office, which promised to assist us,” said Xawes.
Approached for comment, Daures councillor Joram Kennedy !Haoseb said the office had approved N$20 000 to buy flour, which will be paid out soon.
The councillor said he also managed to secure a contractor to buy bread from the bakery and supply it to schools at Okombahe.
The contractor currently buys bread at Uis, located 20 kilometres West of Okombahe, and supplies it to the schools at Okombahe twice a week.
“This means our schools and community can now have fresh bread daily due to this bakery,' he said.
“My office supports the project but the challenge it faces now is lack of a market to sell the products to.
If we can secure that, then it will succeed,” said !Haoseb.
He said they hoped to expand the current market by including other schools in the constituency such as Otjiperongo, Omatjete and Okongue. - NAMPA
Speaking to Nampa upon enquiry on Friday, bakery manager Charline Xawes said they baked their first batch of bread last week and sold it to the community.
She said there are seven young people who are running the project to generate income for themselves.
The project was made possible by the National Youth Council (NYC), which granted N$200 000 in 2015, but the project stalled because it needed more money.
Xawes said they could not operate because they needed N$2 000 for an electricity connection.
She said Metropolitan Life assisted them with N$20 000 to cover the electricity connection and supplies.
“We currently do not have flour to bake and supply in bulk. We are waiting for the Daure constituency office, which promised to assist us,” said Xawes.
Approached for comment, Daures councillor Joram Kennedy !Haoseb said the office had approved N$20 000 to buy flour, which will be paid out soon.
The councillor said he also managed to secure a contractor to buy bread from the bakery and supply it to schools at Okombahe.
The contractor currently buys bread at Uis, located 20 kilometres West of Okombahe, and supplies it to the schools at Okombahe twice a week.
“This means our schools and community can now have fresh bread daily due to this bakery,' he said.
“My office supports the project but the challenge it faces now is lack of a market to sell the products to.
If we can secure that, then it will succeed,” said !Haoseb.
He said they hoped to expand the current market by including other schools in the constituency such as Otjiperongo, Omatjete and Okongue. - NAMPA
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