Nuusita Ashipala
Eenhana-More than a 100 members of the San community in eastern Ohangwena, young and old, were issued with national documents at the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration at Eenhana on Thursday.
In addition to the national documents, all the San centres in the region will also benefit from the 250 bags of clothes donated by Kalahari New Hope.
A young Peneyambeko Kashidulika, who assembled the San community at the Home Affairs office, said it was disheartening to know that fellow Namibians were without documents.
“I have always pitied their way of living and I have always wanted to help them. So, after learning that they did not have national documents I took it upon myself to have them baptised and today we are here,” said Kashidulika. In addition, Kashidulika said she has also set up a kindergarten for the young children. Kashidulika, whom the community describes as their “mother”, said she has employed two additional staff members and pays them from the little the community contributes monthly.
“I do not get a salary. I give the money to my staff, so that I can keep them and keep the school going. I survive on my child’s disability grant and with that same money I am able to also buy those school uniforms,” said Kashidulika.
Whilst there are those who are eager to be in school, others hid their uniforms in the bushes in order not to attend school, hence she pleaded with the authorities to ensure that the San community is fully integrated.
Elderly Haiduwa Kanghameni said he was very pleased, as now he and his children can benefit from government grants, because they are now registered. “We have been wondering why we are not getting national documents and today is such a big relief,” Kanghameni said.
Puleinge Tomas, a development planner in the department of Marginalised Communities in the Office of the President said the ministry was hard at work to capacitate and integrate the San into the wider community.