KHORIXAS – Khorixas will soon start to register destitute households that will start receiving food parcels from the government-funded Food Bank Committee under the Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP) once the street committee members complete a weeklong training that started on Monday at the town.
Deputy Minister of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare, Reverend Aino Kapewangolo, told more than 70 attendees at the meeting held at the Khorixas Town Council hall that the training of the street committee members who will be responsible for the identification of beneficiaries and the eventual distribution of the food items is underway.
Saima Kondo is representing the Rhino ward, Elsie Kaninas represent the Lion ward, Rosalia /Naris representing Eagle ward, Katrina Garas for Giraffe ward, Ingrid Goreses representing Cheetah ward, Ernst Boois for Buffalo ward while pastor Alfons /Areseb represents Elephant ward. /Areseb was also chosen as the Food Bank street committee coordinator for Khorixas.
“I am very delighted to be here this morning to launch the start of the food bank programme in the Kunene region,” enthused Kapewangolo.
Kapewangolo also said it was her distinct honor to be present in Khorixas on behalf of Minister of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare, Bishop Zephania Kameeta. Household food insecurity is one of the major underlying causes of malnutrition, a situation that has led the World Health Organisation (WHO) to consider household food and nutrition security as a basic human right in Namibia.
She said the acclaimed programme speaks to the basic building blocks of a caring nation.
“Since hunger is the lowest level of poverty, it is only logical that President Hage Geingob, under HPP tasked the Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare ministry together with other relevant government offices, agencies and other ministries to address hunger and poverty.” “The establishment of the Food Bank is one such way of addressing hunger, especially in the urban and peri urban areas,” Kapewangolo said.
Khorixas mayor Elizabeth Geises noted that poverty is a condition and should not be a destiny. “It can be corrected. Poverty is not a curse, it can be removed completely and poverty is dangerous to the success of any nation,” Geises said. The Khorixas mayor thanked the President for his support to roll out the feeding programme for the poorest of the poor in Namibia and for establishing the Poverty Eradication ministry.
Geises also said that she is grateful to Founding Father Sam Nujoma and former president Hifikepunye Pohamba for continuing to support the incumbent president so that he could achieve his goals to have a progressive and prosperous country where poverty could be eradicated.
Geises also advised street committee members to do their best and to be strong and fulfill their duties so that they do not disappoint the current political leadership.
The first ever Food Bank programme in the country was launch by President Geingob on 30th June 2016 in Windhoek and this was followed by the distribution of dry food items in seven constituencies of the Khomas region as part of the pilot programme. The Food Bank programme to date has been rolled out to the Hardap and //Kharas regions, using a newly revised beneficiaries’ selection criteria.
Training of street committees in Kavango West was completed in July this year.
Khorixas CEO Andreas /Howoseb, Khorixas Town Council Local Economic Development officer Ester /Nanus, Headman Nahor Haraeb from the Swartbooi Traditional Authority, #Aodaman Traditional Authority chief Petrus Ukongo, deputy #Aodaman chief Christophine Classen, pastor Enrico Swartbooi, Bishop Gerhard #Kariseb of Bethesda faith Mission, deputy chairperson of management committee of Khorixas council, Lena #Gaeses and Food Bank control clerk Lydia Jossop were some of the dignitaries present.