Nuusita Ashipala
Ongwediva-The Penexupifo Pohamba Community Trust recently raised funds for the purchase of land and to cover the operational expenses of the Trust. The money was raised at a gala dinner at Eenhana.
The PPC Trust was established in 2016 to promote sustainable utilisation of natural resources in order to create employment opportunities and improve the living standards of the people. The Trust further seeks to exploit opportunities in agro-processing and to expand the local manufacturing base.
It further plans to set up the first ever local cosmetics and detergent factory made from natural products at Eenhana. “This will boost our respective regional economies and eventually the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of our country,” said former first lady Penexupifo Pohamba.
Pohamba’s ten-year tenure as first lady ended in March 2015 when her husband, Hifikepunye Pohamba finished serving his second term as head of state.
Speaking at the dinner, Madam Pohamba noted that although the PPC Trust model dictates that the factory will be in Eenhana, the source of raw materials will be from across the rural set-up.
The business plan also includes the establishment of centres across the region that will serve as drop-off zones for inputs. “As such, all harvesters will be drawn from the respective rural areas,” she said.
The Trust further intends to provide financial assistance to female students pursuing studies in nursing and pharmaceutical courses at institutions of higher learning. The assistance will be further extended to young women who have completed vocational training courses to help them start their own businesses.
Pohamba applauded government for initiatives aimed at the promotion of value addition in agro-processing and urged government to continue with the funding for commissioning of feasibility studies, marketing and development of products and provision of financing.