Mother of 10 pleads for assistance
With 10 children and no job, 46-year-old Tuvetuile Kakothi is struggling to make ends meet.
As her family’s hunger intensifies, she has urged government to come to their rescue.
Hailing from Ombyakati village in the Omusati Region’s Ruacana constituency, Kakothi said - unlike other Namibians who have been fortunate enough to secure employment - she has never had a job, and grew up herding goats and cattle.
“I do not know how it feels to be employed. I have just been doing odd jobs all my life,” she said.
Kakothi told Namibian Sun that when she moved to Ombyakati, it was still apartheid time, and she was beaten and still has the scars.
Tearing up, she added that they have not received enough rain and will face another year of poverty.
"Our mahangu fields are dead. There is no rain, and we are truly impoverished.”
Eight mouths, one pension
She currently shares a homestead with seven others, and they all depend on her mother’s pension.
“We survive on my mother’s old-age grant, but it is not enough,” she said.
One of Kakothi’s children is enrolled at the University of Namibia (Unam), where she is pursuing a qualification in education.
“I sell my chickens here and there so I can send my child money. Luckily, she has secured a loan, which is helping her to survive,” Kakothi said.
According to the mother of 10, they do not have a tap at home and must fetch water from neighbouring families who have access to taps.
Forgotten
Community member Andreas Ndeapo, who is a war veteran, echoed Kakothi’s sentiments, adding that the village is suffering from thirst because the water was cut off over two months ago.
He said they feel left out and like government has forgotten about them.
“I fought for this country and today we are being treated like we are nothing. The veteran money I get is not enough to sustain me and my family,” he stressed.
He added that he hopes for the water situation to be addressed soon and that government urgently comes to their aid.
As her family’s hunger intensifies, she has urged government to come to their rescue.
Hailing from Ombyakati village in the Omusati Region’s Ruacana constituency, Kakothi said - unlike other Namibians who have been fortunate enough to secure employment - she has never had a job, and grew up herding goats and cattle.
“I do not know how it feels to be employed. I have just been doing odd jobs all my life,” she said.
Kakothi told Namibian Sun that when she moved to Ombyakati, it was still apartheid time, and she was beaten and still has the scars.
Tearing up, she added that they have not received enough rain and will face another year of poverty.
"Our mahangu fields are dead. There is no rain, and we are truly impoverished.”
Eight mouths, one pension
She currently shares a homestead with seven others, and they all depend on her mother’s pension.
“We survive on my mother’s old-age grant, but it is not enough,” she said.
One of Kakothi’s children is enrolled at the University of Namibia (Unam), where she is pursuing a qualification in education.
“I sell my chickens here and there so I can send my child money. Luckily, she has secured a loan, which is helping her to survive,” Kakothi said.
According to the mother of 10, they do not have a tap at home and must fetch water from neighbouring families who have access to taps.
Forgotten
Community member Andreas Ndeapo, who is a war veteran, echoed Kakothi’s sentiments, adding that the village is suffering from thirst because the water was cut off over two months ago.
He said they feel left out and like government has forgotten about them.
“I fought for this country and today we are being treated like we are nothing. The veteran money I get is not enough to sustain me and my family,” he stressed.
He added that he hopes for the water situation to be addressed soon and that government urgently comes to their aid.
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