Thirteen students last week received financial assistance to the tune of N$140 000 from the Sisa Namandje Foundation.
Taimi Iileka-Amupanda, the chairperson of the foundation, said during the handing over of the funding last week that the decision to award funding was not easy.
“We received over 300 applications from students who are registered at institutions of higher learning in Namibia. All of the applications were heartbreaking, and it was difficult to choose just 13 recipients,” she noted.
Iileka-Amupanda added that some of the students are struggling with tuition fees or taxi money, while others struggle with food.
She highlighted that they are proud of the work they are doing because through it, they have discovered that there are many
members of society who need assistance.
Through its corporate social responsibility arm, the foundation has provided funding of over N$500 000 to different members of society over the years.
Prominent lawyer Sisa Namandje highlighted that apart from the donations they make through the foundation, they get almost on a daily basis students from different institutions asking for help, and they aid with the smallest they can. They believe that people’s difficult circumstances should not make it difficult for them to excel.
“There are many talented students in Namibia who require support to reach their potential. But unfortunately, they can only realise their dreams if we uplift them,” he said.
Namandje told New Era that poverty remains the biggest problem facing Namibia, and is the root cause of some of the country’s challenges. He believes that addressing unemployment is critical to the country’s development.
Frankie Marlin Lewin, a final-year nursing student at the Welwitchia Health Training Centre, told this publication that there is
only one income at home – his mother’s – since his father passed away and left his
mom with a few debts.
He added that his medical bills had also put strain at home after he was diagnosed with an enlarged heart after contracting Covid-19.
“I started going door-to-door to different doctors and big companies, and doing part-time jobs to pay my fees. But I did not get any help. There were days that I couldn’t go to campus to write tests. Some days, I could not go and to do my clinical (studies) because there was no taxi money. I had to prolong my hours just to get in the clinical hours that I need,” he explained.
“I am grateful to be one of the 13 students who were chosen because if it was not for the foundation’s aid, I would not have registered and be able to finish my studies this year.”
Meanwhile, students are encouraged to apply for funding as the next beneficiary applications will be announced between July and August.