2006-11-28Staff Report 2 "By Fifi Rhodes The Lamprecht family of Hunters Namibia Safaris, who are based on Rooikrall Game Ranch, near Omitara, are well known for their various philanthropicÃÆ'Æ'ÀÃ...ÃÆ''šÃ‚ involvements with the local community. When Joof and Marina Lamprecht first visited the newly-built library of the Otjivero Primary School in Omitara, and found that the shelves were empty, they made a promise to the learners to fill the library with reading books within a year. Marina then contacted Hunters Namibia Safaris hunting clients internationally, as well as the Dallas Safari Club, and asked for donations of reading books suitable for primary school children. Books streamed in from America, as well as from the Lamprecht family, and today the Otjivero School library boasts shelves full of quality reading books. The Lamprecht family runs its own farm school, Rooikraal Private School, to educate the children of the farm workers employed by Hunters Namibia Safaris. Visitors often describe this little school as the happiest place of learning in Namibia, as the school is set in a pretty garden and surrounded by huge camelthorn trees. The 7 primary school children enjoy the expert, individual attention of two qualified teachers. The school has superb facilities, including a small library, computers, television, a lovely playground and a vegetable patch. Marina, who serves as the chairperson of the Khomas Regional Education Forum and vice-chairperson of the National Advisory Council on Education, is often quoted as saying: ""Education is the most powerful tool that we have to empower the people of Namibia. Our children hold the future peace, prosperity and stability of our beautiful country in their hands. An accessible, quality and affordable education is the key to unlocking that future."" When visiting Joof and Marina on their game farm, Minister of Education, Nangolo Mbumba, expressed his personal and professional thanks for all the work that the Lamprecht family is doing in the education of Namibian children. He went on to say that the Rooikraal School's facilities and the adjacent gardens are an example for all schools in Namibia to emulate." 2006-11-28Staff Report 2
