Otjozondjupa governor John //Khamuseb last week praised Ju/’hoansi Development Fund (JDF), for an exceptional partnership that has brought education, food support and infrastructure to one of the most remote communities, where he opened the second village school.
The new N#ama Village School, built deep inside the southeastern Nyae Nyae Conservancy, 40 kilometres outside Tsumkwe, is the second facility completed by the small London-based charity, following the first school at Den/ui. More than 400 parents, learners, teachers and officials attended the colourful inauguration, which included traditional dancing and fire-making by Ju/’hoansi community members.
Addressing the gathering, governor //Khamuseb said the partnership between the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture and the JDF had achieved results “far beyond what anyone expected from such a small organisation.”
“We have seen today what can happen when government, a committed charity and the community work together. This school is not just buildings, it is the beginning of opportunity for children who have walked too far and waited too long to learn,” he said.
Built with funding from investment management company Ninety One, the school consists of two spacious classrooms, boys’ and girls’ hostels with showers and toilets, two teachers’ flats, and a kitchen with storerooms. Solar power, a borehole and transport form part of the broader project to keep learning uninterrupted.
Ninety One’s Africa Managing Director, Eino Emvula, said the project reflected the company’s purpose of creating “lasting social and environmental value.” Emvula said the village school model was unique because it blended mother-tongue education with traditional knowledge.
“Here, children learn not only about the world, but that their own world, their culture and their voice matter,” he added. Handing over the school on behalf of the JDF, chairman Allen Zimbler thanked the ministry for “trusting such a tiny charity enough to sign an MoU with us.” Zimbler paid tribute to the founders of the JDF, the late David Bruce and the late Steve /ui Kunta, as well as the part-time project team who provide teacher mentorship, food support, transport and community engagement. Regional Director of Education Gerhard Ndafenongo responded that the JDF’s size was irrelevant given its outcomes.
Ndafenongo highlighted the educational realities of Nyae Nyae, where six village schools act as lifelines for San children facing food insecurity, long distances, dropout risks and limited resources. N#ama, now hosting 117 learners, is the largest of the village schools.
Despite the celebration, Zimbler warned that the task is far from complete.
“The challenge continues. We are now seeking funds to build the next of the five mother-tongue, entry-level schools we have undertaken to construct,” he concluded. -ljason@nepc.com.na