Realising the needs of the Lüderitz community and //Kharas region at large, Reverend Jan Scholtz at the weekend launched a foundation which seeks to advocate for economic development.
“Through this initiative, we as the board want to establish a workable and continuous plan for the social and economic development for the people of Lüderitz and the region as a whole,’’ he explained.
Outlining the foundation’s core activities, he said it is to raise grants in cash or in kind for hospitals, maternity wards and hospices for victims of gender-based violence, and churches, welfare organisations as well as other similar charitable institutions in the southern coastal town for their benefit.
It will likewise be to assist impoverished individuals with the provision of basic services like water, sanitation, electricity and housing.
“The Reverend Jan Scholtz (RJS) Foundation will also run scholarship programmes for education and render other kinds of aid to students, including textbooks, stipends and incentives for best-performing students,’’ he observed.
In terms of the provision of relaxation for the community as a means to keep them away from crime and substance abuse, the clergyman mentioned the establishment and maintenance of playground parks, gymnasiums and sport clubs.
They are also planning to establish and develop institutions which can assist the elderly, orphans, mentally unfit and persons living with physical challenges in order to improve their socio-economic conditions.
“We also want to establish a trust fund to cater for victims of pandemics, and disasters like floods. This is ideal in order not to be caught with our pants down, like the past experience of the coronavirus,’’ said Scholtz.
At the same event, he also launched his new book titled ‘Jan’s Writing’.
“This book required me to exhaust all my energy and wisdom, together with external opinions acquired through consultations with different intellectuals from all walks of life,’’ he added.
Through this writing piece, he thus wants to share with the public and interested readers the common three denominators of life, namely social and economic development, and faith.
“I also wanted, through this initiative, to consolidate and motivate our youth to adopt a culture of reading as it is knowledge, equal to power,’’ Scholtz explained.
He said the writing of the publication was an extensive journey of sleepless nights since 2018. But with the support and understanding of his wife, he could finally manage to call it ‘done and dusted’.
Receiving the first copy of the book, Lüderitz mayor Ann-Marie Hartzenberg applauded Scholtz for all his efforts and dedication in putting the town on the Namibian map by coming up with such a bright idea of launching such a book, depicting all social aspects of life. ‘’I really feel honored to be the very first one to receive ‘Jan’s Writing’,” she beamed.
- sklukowski@nepc.com.na