2017-01-24Staff Report 2 Selma Ikela Windhoek - The Affirmative Repositioning (AR) movement has turned its attention to teenagers as it lays the foundation for future generations. And the message – as expressed by the AR’s latest public face for teens, an 11-year-old Hazel Kanime – is this: “Books before boys because boys bring babies,” or the ‘Seven B’s’. “We don’t want to make the mistake others made. They did the activities themselves. We want when we are gone, we want them [today’s teens] to go ahead,” said Job Amupanda of the reason AR has turned to teens and pre-teens. The public first saw children and teens at an AR demonstration at Oshakati last year. But for AR this was a calculated move. “People were saying there were only children, but do you think they don’t understand what is happening – they do. When their parents are evicted from homes they are together. They have always been there. They are a lot, particularity the children of our activists. The young mothers and fathers have been coming to our meetings with them,” says Amupanda. Kanime would be visiting schools to motivate fellow school learners and particularly girl children to complete their studies when AR goes to donate school furniture and study materials countrywide. She would also be the face and spokesperson of AR’s charity work. Kanime, a Grade 6 pupil at Suiderhof Primary School in Windhoek, would be visiting the regions to hand out school furniture, books and stationery donated by a London-based foundation. AR received a consignment from London in December of more than 200 chairs, 100 desks, thousands of pens, cupboards, notice boards and other teaching aids. The container also had medical supplies. After visiting Namibia, Alywen Simpson a pensioner and chairperson of the London Erase Foundation mobilized black people in London to organize goods for the benefit of the youth. Amupanda said Omaalala Youth Development and the AR were identified as beneficiaries. He added that they also got goods for donation to hospitals, mattresses, and thousands of books to establish a library. “In an effort to restore the dignity of the masses of our people it has become necessary for AR to position itself towards being more responsive to the needs of the masses of our people,” said Amupanda. The consignment will be distributed to 14 regions over the next six months starting February. There will be four trips with each trip visiting schools and community organizations in more than three regions. 2017-01-24Staff Report 2
