By William J. Mbangula
Okongo
The Hero Young Ambassador Programme has been lauded for being instrumental in supporting the San people in improving their livelihoods and carrying their voice to the international community.
These words of commendation came from the Minister of Education Nangolo Mbumba when he addressed the closing ceremony of a project run by the US-backed Hero Young Ambassadors at Tobias Hainyeko Primary School (Onakalunga village) in Okongo constituency on Friday.
The Hero Young Ambassadors group is composed of young people from the United States of America, mostly school-going youth, who collect money during their leisure time and holidays to help the most vulnerable people in the world. They give assistance in cash or kind.
At this specific school, they sponsored the construction of a San children’s hostel and two additional classrooms, while also volunteering to work on the erection of a fence around the school and supporting a feeding scheme. Apart from the Hero Young Ambassadors who were involved in the construction of the school here and other humanitarian assistance to the San people, there were also some non-governmental organisations that gave assistance such as Proctor and Gamble Communications, and Unesco.
Said the minister: “The Hero Young Ambassadors’ programme has been instrumental in awakening international awareness about the San people and their quest for equitable development. More than just helping to build schools and offering a feeding scheme, this programme has facilitated the meeting of two peoples, two cultures that otherwise may not have had the opportunity to learn from each other. This programme offers American students the opportunity to live and work with the San, thus enriching the lives of both American volunteers and the San community. It offers young ambassadors the opportunity to work with one of the oldest indigenous communities, the San people. Each can therefore contribute to the world view of the other. This in itself is a great and remarkable contribution of this project to humanity.”
Although the project’s main focus is on education, noted the minister, it has gone beyond addressing THE educational needs of the San children. It has gone an extra mile to sensitize the parents to the education system, and also dealing with sanitation and health issues as well as creating a sustainable community. Again, it has created complementary programmes in the area of a culturally sensitive approach to the HIV/Aids pandemic.
Solar panels have been provided to four schools in the region to power the schools with electricity and to be used for the installation of computer labs as a way to upgrade the living and educational needs of the San people. The minister said an action research study focusing on the San communities at Ekoka, Eendobe and Omatadiva identified the potential features in the cultures of the San that can help to prevent the spread of HIV/Aids in order to inform the development of culturally sensitive tools and materials for the prevention campaign.
Based on the recommendation of Unesco, Edutainment is to be introduced in collaboration with AVALON EVENT organisation. In terms of this arrangement, professionally skilled and experienced theatre trainers will encourage the San to promote their cultural heritage through theatre, particularly targeting the youth. These youth will be trained in skills and techniques in order to establish a San Theatre Troupe. The aim being to educate and entertain their own communities, highlighting subjects specifically related to their own needs such as HIV/Aids education, prevention and care, TB prevention, malaria and alcohol abuse.
Speaking at the same event which was also attended by the American Deputy Head of Mission Erick Benjaminson, Hero Young Ambassadors Executive Director Gabriele Armand and Proctor and Gamble Communications Director Michelle Vaeth, Unesco Representative in Namibia, Dr Claudia Harvey, who delivered the message on behalf of UN Resident Coordinator Simon Nhongo, said the UN system is committed to working alongside the people of Namibia in the communities and through representatives in government, the private sector and NGOs in order to address issues related to the development of the San people. Harvey explained that the UN is currently involved in a number of projects aimed at empowering the most marginalised communities, including the San people. Some of these projects are being run in conjunction with the government such as the leadership and skills training for underprivileged groups and youth in Ohangwena Region.
Local resources, such as Eenhana Youth Centre, are being strengthened and training in leadership skills, community mobilization, business and finance management are being offered.
Furthermore, she poin-ted out, the education system is supported and encouraged through an integrated approach to education for the San communities in Ohangwena Region. Such project has outlined some of its priorities as the provision of feeding programmes and training for teachers and caregivers.
Another parallel project is the Civic Rights Education Campaign which is working to counter the historical precedent that left indigenous people marginalised and unable to exercise their democratic rights.
Following the introduction of programmes related to information technology and information on crucial government services, the San people are said to be able to take charge of their own destiny and to contribute to their own self-development.