Maihapa Ndjavera
GOBABIS – ABInBev Namibia, the brewing company situated in Okahandja, contributed N$300 000 to the Lady Pohamba Maternity Shelter in Gobabis, the capital of Omahake Region. The donation is to be used for the construction of the guardhouse at the maternity centre as a fund project that was identified through the ABInBev Namibia’s Omaheke Trust Foundation. Through this foundation the company also sponsored the rehabilitation of the Wenni Du Plessis Vocational Technical Block E to support vocational education in the country.
At the occasion on Friday last week, Governor Festus Ueitele informed the donors and all guests that through the government’s procurement process a contractor has been appointed to construct the guardhouse, install windows and doors, veranda and as well as to improve the entrance gate.
Ueitele thanked ABInBev for the financial assistance and emphasised the importance of private sector involvement for socio-economic growth, saying government alone cannot attend to the needs of all the people as these are too numerous. He further urged the community to take care of the centre.
At the hand-over of the site and ground-breaking ceremony, the appointed contractor said construction of the guardhouse can start immediately after the go-ahead was received by the governor. It is expected that the new guardhouse will be completed by February 2019.
Commenting on the development in the area, one of the expecting mothers, Emma Tjipua, said: “We received and accepted the place whole-heartedly as we stay far and have no place to stay in Gobabis. I heard from sister Kaune that there is such a place in Gobabis. This is a pleasing place for me as the matrons became our parents, thank you very much.”
At the same event, ABinBev’s Legal and Corporate Affairs Manager, Maija-Liisa Hangala, stated that their organisation is honoured to be part of and associated with this community in particular and Namibia at large. She added that ABInBev has a vision of creating a world of opportunity to improve livelihoods and uplift the living standards of communities in which they operate. They do this with the guidance of their sustainable development strategy called the ‘Better World’, she explained.
The aim of the centre is to improve the maternal and child health factors and specifically to address delays identified as drivers of maternal and child mortality. Since the opening of this centre in February 2018, over 115 mothers gave birth through the centre.