OMUTHIYA – Kandume Combined School in Omuthiya last week received boxes of frozen and tinned fish from the Namibian Fish Consumption Promotion Trust (NFCPT) to alleviate hunger among learners.

The head of department at Kandume, Bonifatius Iyambo, said: “This comes in handy because our learners have been starving. We receive nothing from the government, thus pupils contribute a once-off N$1 200, which is put together to buy basic food items. This is a critical moment, so the fish will really go a long way in keeping hunger at bay,” said Iyambo.

The school accommodates about 72 learners in a recently constructed hostel, which is being run by the community. 

Twenty-five cases of tinned fish as well as 10 boxes of Horse Mackerel were given to the school. 

Community members have volunteered to prepare meals for the learners. 

Meanwhile, NFCPT spokesperson De Wet Siluka said the donation amounts to N$60 139.80.

“In as much as we appreciate this generous gesture, we are seized with another challenge of a cold storage, as we now have to ask individuals around to store some of the items to avoid perishing. The absence of cold storage has been making it difficult, as we can’t secure enough food items,” stressed Iyambo.

Furthermore, he raised another challenge of water shortage – even though the school is connected to the main water pipeline. 

“We can go for days – if not weeks – without water; therefore, we are also asking for good Samaritans to assist with a high-rise water tank,” he appealed.