WINDHOEK- The Ministry of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare says the donation account, established for generous organisations and individuals to donate money to help the poor, has been well received.
Poverty Eradication Minister Zephania Kameeta told the members of parliament in the National Assembly before it went on session that although there are long-term government policies and interventions that are aimed at ensuring that every Namibian has access to basic social services, the majority of the rural population and those living in informal settlements of cities and towns are deprived of these basics of life.
They are thus living in extreme poverty, the minister said.
“The poverty situation among our people, especially in rural areas, is critical. I am pleased to announce that since the establishment of this donation account, the response from the public, including the embassies, local and international NGOs, local businesses and even individuals, have responded positively to this noble initiative of the ministry,” he said.
The Minister said the donation account is linked to special programmes of the ministry and its aim is two-fold. Firstly, he said, it is aimed at addressing the immediate needs of those who might find themselves in desperate situations, especially those people in informal settlements who are confronted with losing their belongings due to fires and floods.
Secondly, he added the donation account is aimed at assisting more long-term sustainable poverty eradication initiatives, with minimum bureaucracy as much as possible.
These projects, he said, range from agricultural food production projects, income generating projects, water provision, education and provision of decent shelter to those living in extreme poverty.
He revealed that the ministry has to date assisted the Oshikoto Regional Council with the drilling of two boreholes for impoverished communities and has paid tuition fees for vulnerable students at various tertiary institutions, who did not secure any study loans.
By the end of this financial year, he explained the ministry through the donation account, will assist three water provision projects in the Ohangwena, Kunene and Omaheke regions respectively, two agricultural projects in the Kunene Region and the construction of a decent shelter for a destitute family in the Khomas Region. Kameeta thanked those who have contributed and are still contributing to this fund, while giving assurance that such gestures of goodwill, will contribute to the well being of those in need.
“Fellow Namibians, let us all join hands and have faith that indeed together we shall see a Namibia where no one goes to bed hungry and that each Namibian has access to a decent shelter, clean drinking water and proper sanitation,” he appealed.
The ministry is providing food to the most needy and vulnerable people in urban and peri-urban areas through the distribution of dry food parcels, as part of its food bank programme.
To date, Kameeta said the ministry is distributing food to about 17,000 beneficiaries in the Khomas, //Kharas, Hardap, Kavango East and Kavango West regions.
By the end of this financial year, he said, the ministry will cover the Ohangwena, Kunene and the Zambezi regions during this financial year.
In order to improve the efficiency of the food bank processes, Kameeta noted that the ministry in partnership with the United Nations World Food Programme launched the Scope system last month.
Scope is a computer-based system that is used for the registration of beneficiaries, identification of beneficiaries when collecting food parcels, reporting and monitoring and evaluation.