Twenty-one disgruntled youth volunteers at the Katutura Youth Complex (KYC), tasked with looking after the homeless people at the centre following the Covid-19 outbreak last year, are crying out for help.

The group representative Janine Dickmann told New Era this week that although they were promised to receive an allowance, they have to date not received a penny from the government – even though they turn up to work every day since last April.

“We have reached a brick wall. We have knocked on every office door in this country. We have written to the office of the Prime Minister, the health ministry, the office of the Ombudsman and UNICEF but all we get is promises after promises,” Dickmann said.

“How on earth does government think we survive during this difficult time? We are not asking for a salary but the allowance as promised. The last time I checked with the ministry of health, they said they haven’t received any funds for us from UNICEF. This is their daily song; how do they expect us to survive?”

She said they have been sent from pillar to post by the health ministry and almost all government offices. 

“We want the minister of health Dr Kalumbi Shangula to tell us on the way forward,” she added.

Shangula and the health ministry’s executive director Ben Nangombe did not respond to questions sent to them, while Khomas governor Laura McLeod-Katjirua’s phone went unanswered.  

The volunteers are tasked to clean and cook for the homeless people brought by government to the centre in April last year. 

Late last year, the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) reported that the volunteers expressed unhappiness about the treatment they receive from their supervisor at the shelter.

At the time, disgruntled volunteers said since they started looking after the homeless housed at the complex, little appreciation was shown for their work.

They also accused their supervisor of lack of communication, and nepotism and favouritism are just some of the hardships they face daily.