Onamega
A businessman donated mahangu (millet) grain to 24 vulnerable elderly people who claim they have been going to bed on empty stomachs. They are from Onamega, Otshuungu, Ombwelwa and Uukwandudhi villages in Elim Constituency in Omusati Region.
The millet worth N$14 400 was donated last Wednesday by Onesmus Shipombo, who is a farmer and business person in Otshuungu. The grateful recipients rejoiced after they each received a 50kg bag of mahangu.
The 24 pensioners say they have been going to bed hungry because they are not used to eating thick porridge prepared only from maize meal, which is being distributed by government to villagers as part of the ongoing nationwide drought relief programme.
Shipombo was touched by their plight and he personally took it upon himself to donate the mahangu to the pensioners who are not used to maize flour and mainly eat mahangu as their staple food.
Shipombo is the founder and owner of Risto Shipombo Magano Namulongelo Trading cc (RSMN), a construction and cleaning company in Oshikuku.
He said he decided to talk to community activists to identify the needy. He donated a 50kg bag of mahangu to each of the beneficiaries and one litre of cooking oil with the help of his namesake Onesmus Shipombo, who donated three boxes of cooking oil.
The elderly men and women danced and ululated in praising the Shipombos for giving them the mahangu and cooking oil.
“ Iyaloo shili, iyaloo shili. It is very rare for young people to do this, we are very thankful. God bless you,” were some of the words used by the elders to express their gratitude.
A smiling Ferdelina Andreas said: “Now I am going to mix maize meal and mahangu to eat proper porridge.”
Evelina Amukwaya said she was happy she was going to eat mahangu.
The Deputy Minister of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare Aino Kapewangolo also joined the elderly in dancing and ululating.
Kapewangolo said the Shipombos have done a good job in meeting the government halfway to fight poverty.
She urged other business people to follow the Shipombos’ example saying together they will beat poverty.
The chairperson and chief of the Uukwambi Traditional Authority Herman Ndilimani Ipumbu also applauded the Shipombos saying they set a good example for other business people and farmers on how to help vulnerable people.