The Meatco Foundation through our social partner and Meatco client, UNIL from Norway, – availed funds to upgrade and renovate the Helena Crush pen in the Otjombinde constituency of the Omaheke region as part of our collective Corporate Social Responsibility. A delegation of our social partners from UNIL(Norway) witnessed the ground breaking ceremony which took place 162km East of Gobabis, on Tuesday, 19 January 2016.
The Meatco Foundation Board Chairperson, Clara Bohitile, outlined the importance of the Norwegian market, stating that Norway is a very important market for Namibian beef. “Although the volumes that we exported are around 5.05% the value we generate from that market represents 20.46% of Meatco income based on 2015/16 figures. This means that despite the value we generate in their lucrative market, they are also willing to invest in the wellbeing of our people,”said Bohitile.
Head of Buyer Division at UNIL, Eivind Thomas Wang, expressed their happiness at being able to participate in the development of a multi-purpose crush pen that will allow communal farmers to market and sell their animals. “We are happy that we can contribute to farmers and help them to have more access to markets for their livestock. This will go a long way in making sure that more Namibian farmers can contribute to exports,” Wang said.
Speaking on behalf of the community, Chief Boas Tjingaete, thanked Meatco and UNIL for their contribution to the community and stressed the need for unity amongst the community members to take ownership of the crush pen and maintain it in a manner that would uplift the community once it’s completed.
The groundbreaking symbolized the commencement of construction, which was a culmination of hard work by Meatco and UNIL to help realize the dreams, and aspirations of the community to be contributors in the Namibian economy through the Multi-purpose crush pen that will aid community members in marketing and selling of their animals.
In a speech read on his behalf by constituency councilor Katjanaa Kaurivi Governor of the Omaheke region Hon. Festus Ueitele applauded the efforts of UNIL and Meatco in bringing the multi-purpose crush pen to the Otjombinde constituency. He stressed the need for the community to take ownership of the facility and ensure its maintenance so future generations could continue to reap from its benefits. Construction of the crush pen is to be completed by mid-2016. The Meatco Foundation was created in April 2011, with the main objective of giving back to the farming community through social investment. The role of the Meatco foundation is to leverage funding from the donor community which will then be utilised to improve the social economic issues within the livestock sector in the Northern Communal Areas.