WINDHOEK – The Social Security Commission has called on deserving, innovative, community-based and driven projects and schemes with the potential to create employment to apply through its Development Fund (SSC-DF) for grants or soft loans or a combination of both.
Olga Katjiuongua, Manager of SSC-DF says the fund would support projects that adhere to the principles of sustainable development in that they must be socially, environmentally and economically viable.
“We have, for example, supported Premiere Investments Number 18 cc, operating in Okombahe. They support a community project with debushing along the Omaruru River, where the felled trees are used to make charcoal which will be sold and the money generated comes back to the community. A grant of N$750 000 has been availed to this project over a two-year period. More support has also gone to Urban Trust of Namibia, with a grant totalling N$700 000 over an eighteen-month period – the project is currently in month four of that period. The support provided aims to back a livelihood improvement project with identified women in Otavi making textiles to be sold to the community and tourists traveling to and through the town,” says Katjiuongua.
Katjiuongua says the commission is looking at supporting for example community infrastructure programmes, development programmes, community-based social services, labour mobility and re-training programmes as well as employment schemes and other programmes the SSC may determine are eligible for assistance.
“The main objectives of SSC’s Development Fund are to conduct training and employment schemes for the benefit of the socio-economically disadvantaged people and granting bursaries, loans and other forms of financial aid to students.
“We have been doing so for numerous years and are happy with our success rate. We look forward to assisting many more Namibians in the years to come,” she said.