OMUNGWELUME – Former Ohangwena governor and philanthropist in his own right Usko Nghaamwa yesterday extended a helping hand to a local school, where he donated bundles of super bricks worth N$195 000 towards the construction of the school’s hostel. 

The donation to the Omungwelume Secondary School was followed by yet another pledge after Nghaamwa announced he will also fund the tuition fees of the school’s last year grade 12 top performer Bertha Jakobus. 

For this year alone, Jakobus, who finished grade 12 with 33 points, will receive N$47 000 from the retired politician towards her studies at the University of Namibia Hifikepunye Pohamba Campus.  Nghaamwa has undertaken to cover the student’s academic needs for the rest of her studies. 

Jakobus is just one of many needy learners whom the former governor has assisted in his personal capacity and today boasts about having produced professionals in various fields of studies, including doctors. 

Nghaamwa has also been instrumental in assisting in the construction, renovation and feeding learners at various schools in Ohangwena. 

The charismatic Nghaamwa pleaded with other Namibians to come on board and meet government halfway by assisting needy students to pursue their dreams. 

“We should all become friends of the education sector and stakeholders so that we can meet government halfway,” said Nghaamwa, who is also a respected businessman.  

In the same vein, Nghaamwa urged parents who do not the financial means but have livestock to sell their animals and send their children to school. 

“Sometimes, it is better to have used your livestock to educate your children than to lose your livestock through thievery or diseases,” Nghaamwa advised. 

On the construction of the hostel, Nghaamwa, who is the patron of the school, has been a pillar in the construction of the hostel and has previously donated cement, super bricks and food to the learners at Omungwelume. 

A fraction of learners at Omungwelume are currently housed at a government property in the same area. 

The construction of the hostel commenced last year and is already nearing completion. 

School principal George Nanghanda said the donated bricks will be used to construct the incomplete dining hall. 

Nanghanda said the school could not be given the fitness to be certified as a hostel because of the yet-to-be-completed dining hall, laundry area and sewerage connection to the settlement pump. 

“But once that is completed, we will move our learners into the hostel to avert the challenges that they currently face,” said Nanghanda. 

Some of the challenges the learners endure by living in unsupervised homes include being exposed to gender-based violence and teenage pregnancy. 

Recounting some of the incidents that have happened, Nanghanda said one of their learners became a victim of GBV when she was stabbed by her lover, while another also lost her life to her lover. 

“The challenges are many – and by living in the location, some are also exposed to drugs; hence, only a handful pass because the bad influences are just too many,” said Nanghanda. 

Once completed, the hostel will accommodate 258 learners.

- nashipala@nepc.com.na