Ondera
In an unprecedented move a group of disadvantaged people resettled at Ondera Project Farm under government’s resettlement scheme have seized the opportunity and joined forces to develop the farm and generate an income for themselves.
With assistance from the office of Vice President Dr Nickey Iyambo the group managed to establish a horticulture project that has seen them generate at least N$40 000 in profit over the past two years.
The monies have been leveraged from the sale of vegetables, such as cabbage, spinach, beetroot, tomato, onion, as well paw-paw and banana, among others, cultivated at the farm.
The produce is not only sold in the Oshikoto Region, but also in Oshana and as far Oshikango.
The approximately 1 000 families previously resided in the corridors of Oshivelo, without any place to call home, but in 2013 they were fortunate to become beneficiaries of the resettlement scheme.
Farm Ondera is situated some 80 kilometres from Tsumeb along the Tsintsabis road en route to Oshivelo. The farm previously belonged to a German farmer, who the community said had laid the foundations for them, as they only had to extend and farm on a larger scale, as well as enhance what was already there.
The farm has so far transformed the lives of the resettled people, who were once underprivileged and unemployed.
At least 65 people are now employed in the horticulture project. Further, they receive a monthly allowance of around N$1 200 from government to assist them while the project gains strength.
According to community leader Jan Honeb, who administers the farm, the word “disadvantaged” made them go the extra mile to change their lives when presented with an opportunity to.
He expressed dissatisfaction though with this season’s harvest, saying bad weather conditions ruined their expected crop.
“What we’re doing now is to shape the future of our children and we want to invest and see them succeed. We don’t want to be called disadvantaged people anymore.
“At least now we have a place to call home and we’re very grateful for this opportunity,” he said.
He added that seeing the project get up and running and reaching greater heights is what they are working hard to achieve before government withdraws the monthly support. “We want to be successful and self-reliant, while we still have the support from our government.”
The community is not only inclined to crop farming, but has eagerly taken to animal husbandry as well, with a total of 200 cattle and an unspecified number of goats.
“Development is what we’re aiming for at this farm. So far we’ve managed to open a savings account for the project and we’ll continue saving and investing, so that we can bring other services that we don’t have,” Honeb explained.
The farm is provided with basic services, such as running tap water and electricity.