Africa-Press – Namibia. For months Hifikepunye Pohamba Combined School in Omundaungilo, Ohangwena region, has been fighting a silent battle against hunger.
Many pupils come to school having had nothing in the morning, some having had their last meal as supper the night before.
Principal Petrus Shikongo says the situation has been heart-breaking.
“Every morning, young pupils come to school hungry, hoping to get a plate of porridge. But we often cannot provide that because the delivery of government issue relief maize meal takes too long,” he said.
The hunger has left learners weak, sleepy, and struggling to focus on lessons in class. Teachers tried to help, but their support was not enough.
A breakthrough came when the school reached out to Erongo Marine Enterprise, together with SocioPartner Investment. The result was a donation worth N$72 000 that included 90 boxes of horse mackerel, 30 boxes of dried meal packs, and 30 trays of Lucky Star canned fish.
The assistance did not end there as 25 other schools in the region will also benefit through the Governor’s Office. They will share 180 boxes of frozen horse mackerel worth N$40 000 and 50 bags of maize meal. These include 19 community schools offering Grade 11 and six non-subsidized schools, spread across eight circuits: Ondobe, Oshikunde, Epembe, Ongha, Okongo, Otunganga, Ohakafiya, and Ohangwena.
Regional governor Kaduva Hamutumwa, who attended the handover ceremony, said no Namibian child should go hungry.
“No child should wake up and walk kilometres to school on an empty stomach. In a country blessed with resources, no one should go to bed hungry,” she said. Hamutumwa urged more companies to give back to vulnerable communities.
“Such acts of corporate responsibility help equalize access to resources and ensure that no child is left behind,” she added.
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