UN reviews impact of N$57m drought fund in Kavango West

A high-level delegation of United Nations&#039; heads of agencies wrapped up a four-day monitoring visit to the Kavango West region last Thursday, aimed at evaluating the impact of ongoing drought relief, nutrition and protection interventions across the region.The mission, which ran from 14 to 17 April, was led by UN resident coordinator Hopolang Phororo and included courtesy meetings with the regional governor, sector briefings with government ministries and community visits to assess the delivery of integrated services.According to the UN, the US$3 million (N$56.56 million) drought-relief funding provided by the central emergency response fund (CERF) has reached more than 153 000 people across three regions, namely Kavango West, Kavango East and Omaheke. “This mission allowed us to see the results of joint efforts between the government and the UN,” Phororo said, adding that the funding complements national drought response plans and prioritises areas with the highest vulnerability indicators.Sectoral updateThe delegation met with the regional disaster risk management committee, receiving updates from officials across key sectors. Among the concerns raised were food insecurity, rising teenage pregnancies, limited access to health and water infrastructure, and the long-standing issue of gender-based violence (GBV).The education and the gender equality ministries flagged child marriages and GBV as underlying contributors to the spike in teenage pregnancies. The health ministry also briefed the team on efforts to roll out integrated health services in remote areas.At a field level, the delegation visited the Nkurenkuru GBV Protection Unit now housed at the new police building, as well as villages in Mpungu, Kapako and Ncamagoro constituencies. There, they observed soup kitchen operations and borehole rehabilitation projects and held community dialogues.Phororo noted that UNFPA has been providing life-saving GBV support services to nearly 20 000 people in Kavango East and West as well as Omaheke, while UNICEF has led projects in child nutrition, WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene), and maternal health.She emphasised the need for community ownership: “Government can only do so much. Development partners too face limitations. Communities must be at the heart of designing solutions.”

UN reviews impact of N$57m drought fund in Kavango West

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-01

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UN reviews impact of N$57m drought fund in Kavango West

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-01

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