{"id":78894,"date":"2024-10-18T10:15:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-18T10:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/visionary-woman-converts-guesthouse-into-a-school"},"modified":"2024-10-18T10:15:00","modified_gmt":"2024-10-18T10:15:00","slug":"visionary-woman-converts-guesthouse-into-a-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/visionary-woman-converts-guesthouse-into-a-school","title":{"rendered":"Visionary woman converts guesthouse into a school"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Namibia. <\/strong><\/span>Late President Hage Geingo once said, \u2018While you wait for the government, why don\u2019t you put one pole here, one pole there, one there, and one pole there, and put blikkies on top?\u201d.<\/p>\n

A 26-year-old Jessica Amoonga from Omindaba village in Onesi constituency took this advice and went a step further.<\/p>\n

In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced businesses and schools to shut down, Amoonga found herself in a situation that would change the course of her life.<\/p>\n

At the time she was running a guesthouse.<\/p>\n

When the guesthouse ceased its operation as a result of the pandemic, Jessica took on the responsibility of educating children in the village.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was at home during the pandemic when my guest house had to shut down. My nephews and nieces were staying with me because schools were closed, so I started teaching them at home,\u201d Amoonga said.<\/p>\n

The closure of schools left many children without formal education, and Jessica saw an opportunity.<\/p>\n

She said as she witnessed the children\u2019s eagerness to learn, she decided to transform her informal teaching into a full-time school.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought, why not start my own school? The children loved learning, and I had the space for it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Using her guest house as a base, Cassie Jessica Private School now accommodates 40 children, with 25 living in the hostel and the remaining 15 attending from their homes.<\/p>\n

The school currently offers pre-primary and grade one classes, with plans to expand up to grade six in the future.<\/p>\n

The school\u2019s curriculum follows the Namibian education system, covering subjects such as English, mathematics, arts, and religion.<\/p>\n

The school also teaches vocational skills such as carpentry and agriculture.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also include physical education, and the children take part in swimming lessons,\u201d Amoonga said.<\/p>\n

Amoonga said the school has been a lifeline for children from low-income families in the village.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe preprimary and kindergarten children from the community don\u2019t pay school fees, although they are responsible for purchasing their uniforms and stationery,\u201d Amoonga noted.<\/p>\n

Amoonga\u2019s efforts align with the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture\u2019s recent initiatives, including the announcement by executive director Sanet Steenkamp of plans to build 512 new classrooms nationwide.<\/p>\n

Steenkamp stated that the ministry constructed about 510 classrooms in high-demand areas last year to address infrastructural needs and ensure that pupils do not have to travel long distances to school.<\/p>\n

Amoonga has taken it upon herself to create opportunities for children in her community, while the ministry focuses on expanding classroom availability.<\/p>\n

The school\u2019s philosophy, according to her, is based on encouraging children to be free-spirited while instilling values of discipline, routine, and spirituality.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe teach them life skills, self-care, and how to be God-fearing,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

While the school has grown with support from parents and board members, Amoonga pointed out that it has not yet secured external sponsorship.<\/p>\n

\u201cParents are our biggest supporters. They contribute to the children\u2019s education and even assist the less fortunate among us,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Running the school has not been without challenges.<\/p>\n

Amoonga highlighted issues such as providing food for the children, particularly those who don\u2019t stay at the hostel.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt first, some children arrived without food, so we had to make sure we fed everyone. Now, parents contribute by providing food, and we also buy it ourselves,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n

Weather-related problems have also affected the school.<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring the rainy season, our classrooms flooded, and everything, including the books, got soaked. We\u2019re now working on relocating the school to address these issues,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

Amoonga\u2019s vision for Cassie Jessica Private School extends beyond education. She aims to create a space where the entire community can learn and grow.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want the whole community involved, including parents and grandparents. The goal is to uplift everyone,\u201d she stated.<\/p>\n

Despite the challenges, Amoonga remains optimistic about the school\u2019s future.<\/p>\n

\u201cParents tell me how much their children have improved\u2014learning English, making their beds, and helping around the house. That\u2019s how I know we are making an impact,\u201d she concluded.<\/p>\n

Efforts to reach Onesie Constituency councillor Titus Kanyele for comment remained futile by the time of publication.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Namibia<\/a> Follow Africa-Press<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Namibia. Late President Hage Geingo once said, \u2018While you wait for the government, why don\u2019t you put one pole here, one pole there, one there, and one pole there, and put blikkies on top?\u201d. A 26-year-old Jessica Amoonga from Omindaba village in Onesi constituency took this advice and went a step further. In […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":78893,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,4],"tags":[234,236,233],"class_list":["post-78894","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-culture-and-art","tag-africa-press","tag-africa-press-namibia","tag-namibia"],"yoast_head":"\nVisionary woman converts guesthouse into a school - Namibia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/namibia\/all-news\/visionary-woman-converts-guesthouse-into-a-school\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Visionary woman converts guesthouse into a school\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Africa-Press – Namibia. Late President Hage Geingo once said, \u2018While you wait for the government, why don\u2019t you put one pole here, one pole there, one there, and one pole there, and put blikkies on top?\u201d. A 26-year-old Jessica Amoonga from Omindaba village in Onesi constituency took this advice and went a step further. 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