Relief for Ohangwena San
The vice-president's office has appointed Thomas Puleinge as the regional development planner for Ohangwena to integrate the needs of the region's marginalised people into the national development plans.
Puleinge's appointment follows a visit by the deputy director of the marginalised community division in the vice-president's office Gerson Kamatuka to Omundaungilo in February this year and who acknowledged that San communities in Ohangwena are suffering because the division does not have a regional development planner responsible for them.
Kamatuka visited the Omundaungilo San community after Namibian Sun reported on the horrific living conditions of the over 900 San people living in isolation there. Some of the people at the settlement do not leave their makeshift rag tents - which they call home - for months on end due to old age, blindness or chronic illness.
He was accompanied by governor of Ohangwena Usko Nghaamwa, the regional councillor for Omundaungilo, Festus Ikanda, and several regional council officials. A number of promises were made at the time to address the needs of these people among which was to appoint a regional development planner, establish a kindergarten and build them proper shelters.
Namibian Sun was also informed that many of the elders and children do not receive pensions or social grants from the government due to lack of national documents. However, last week the New Era newspaper reported that more than 100 marginalised San from various San communities in the Ohangwena Region – young and old – were issued with national documents at the home affairs ministry offices at Eenhana.
When Namibian Sun visited this community, the government had already established kindergarten facilities for them, while Cecillia Fillemon, the only community member who has received training from the National Youth Service, was appointed as the kindergarten teacher during Kamatuka's visit.
“We are very thankful to Namibian Sun for exposing the condition these people live in to us. It is because of you that we are going to build them houses very soon. We are just waiting for the budget to be released. This community is very generous. They are not making demands, all they want is just shelter,” Kamatuka said.
Kamatuka said that the San people will decide for themselves the kind of shelters they want and they will also be involved in the construction.
Ikanda said that the kindergarten was established in coordination with his office, but will only be operational by the beginning of the next academic year after they have acquired all the necessary equipment.
However, the school principal at Okahenge Combined School which is about 200 metres from the Omundaungilo San community, Martin Ndadi, expressed his concerns regarding the kindergarten. He said that government is making a mistake to establish a kindergarten for the San community only and added that they were not consulted as to how the kindergarten is going to operate.
“By establishing a kindergarten at their settlement, they are isolating the San people from others. These people need to mingle with the broader community. It is true that they have difficulties in coming to school, but that cannot be a reason to isolate them,” Ndadi said.
ILENI NANDJATO
Puleinge's appointment follows a visit by the deputy director of the marginalised community division in the vice-president's office Gerson Kamatuka to Omundaungilo in February this year and who acknowledged that San communities in Ohangwena are suffering because the division does not have a regional development planner responsible for them.
Kamatuka visited the Omundaungilo San community after Namibian Sun reported on the horrific living conditions of the over 900 San people living in isolation there. Some of the people at the settlement do not leave their makeshift rag tents - which they call home - for months on end due to old age, blindness or chronic illness.
He was accompanied by governor of Ohangwena Usko Nghaamwa, the regional councillor for Omundaungilo, Festus Ikanda, and several regional council officials. A number of promises were made at the time to address the needs of these people among which was to appoint a regional development planner, establish a kindergarten and build them proper shelters.
Namibian Sun was also informed that many of the elders and children do not receive pensions or social grants from the government due to lack of national documents. However, last week the New Era newspaper reported that more than 100 marginalised San from various San communities in the Ohangwena Region – young and old – were issued with national documents at the home affairs ministry offices at Eenhana.
When Namibian Sun visited this community, the government had already established kindergarten facilities for them, while Cecillia Fillemon, the only community member who has received training from the National Youth Service, was appointed as the kindergarten teacher during Kamatuka's visit.
“We are very thankful to Namibian Sun for exposing the condition these people live in to us. It is because of you that we are going to build them houses very soon. We are just waiting for the budget to be released. This community is very generous. They are not making demands, all they want is just shelter,” Kamatuka said.
Kamatuka said that the San people will decide for themselves the kind of shelters they want and they will also be involved in the construction.
Ikanda said that the kindergarten was established in coordination with his office, but will only be operational by the beginning of the next academic year after they have acquired all the necessary equipment.
However, the school principal at Okahenge Combined School which is about 200 metres from the Omundaungilo San community, Martin Ndadi, expressed his concerns regarding the kindergarten. He said that government is making a mistake to establish a kindergarten for the San community only and added that they were not consulted as to how the kindergarten is going to operate.
“By establishing a kindergarten at their settlement, they are isolating the San people from others. These people need to mingle with the broader community. It is true that they have difficulties in coming to school, but that cannot be a reason to isolate them,” Ndadi said.
ILENI NANDJATO
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