Olukupa
The barely accessible settlement of Olukupa in a remote rural area of Oshikoto Region was recently showered with various pledges by the corporate world that promised to construct a clinic and hostel facilities: Dundee Precious Metals undertook to avail N$30 000 and B2 Gold offered training.
The under-resourced Olukupa Combined School will receive a cash injection of N$30 000 from Dundee Precious Metals, while B2 Gold offered support to physics teachers to be trained through the mine’s local physics training centre.
Geko Minerals for an unspecified amount pledged to build a clinic for local residents, who currently have no access to health services.
Ohorongo Cement stepped in with an offer of over 200 bags of cement towards the development of the planned school hostel.
This was an effort by the three mines to bolster the Harambee Prosperity Plan, a concept unveiled in April to reduce poverty and uplift the living conditions of those less fortunate.
The pledges were made during the handover of a hostel facility at Olukupa Combined School on Thursday. This came after the Ministry of Mines and Energy through its Small Miners Unit (SMU) – which deals with social responsibility issues – appealed for assistance for the learners and teachers at the school.
The pledges were welcomed by Minister of Poverty Eradication Bishop Zephania Kameeta, who praised the Ministry of Mines and Energy for playing a key role in the fight to alleviate poverty.
“It is through education that we can overcome poverty and it’s through education that our eyes will be opened to seize a bright future to walk on the road that will make us achieve Vision 2030,” Kameeta said.
He said in his view poverty was not created by God, but is the creation of people.
“Poverty is a product of people. Therefore, if people can bring in poverty, why is it a problem to eradicate poverty. There are people that believe that God created us to be poor, but that’s false.
“It has nothing to do with God at all. But it’s a result of greed, apartheid, colonialism, and of people wanting to fill their own pockets and drain others,” said an upbeat Kameeta.
He also emphasised that poverty can be eradicated if such helping hands of the corporate world are willing to share and meet government halfway.