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Nawa 27 |
Aug 16 2004 |
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FIRST TRADITIONAL LEADER SPEAKS OUT PUBLICLY ABOUT HIV/AIDS
 History was made two weeks ago in Namibia, when King Taapopi, the traditional leader of the Uukwaluudhi Constituency in Northwest Namibia, became the first traditional leader to speak out publicly on HIV and AIDS. With support from the U.S. Government`s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, and technical assistance through USAID and Family Health International, the King joined with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia and other partners to hold a full-day Educational Conference on HIV and AIDS in Tsandi, at his royal headquarters.
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His Royal Highness spoke to more than five hundred of his rural constituents to inform them about the disease (how to prevent infection, and how to live positively for as long as possible if one is already infected), and to warn them against alcohol abuse, family violence and stigmatization, as contributing factors.
In keeping with the solemn mood, the king donned a simple sack-cloth, saying that his people are suffering and he wants to show that he is suffering with them. After his speech, he and the Queen lit a large memorial candle together, followed by 100 community members who lit their smaller candles from his bigger one, symbolically taking the message back to the villages.
Additional remarks on this occasion came from Gary Newton, USAID Mission Director for Namibia, the Governor`s office, the Ministry of Health and Social Services (on the increased availability of prevention of mother to child transmission services, with support of the US government), the Council of Churches in Namibia, the Evangelical Lutheran Church`s AIDS Action programme, and Rose De Buysscher, Country Director for Family Health International/Namibia.
Other traditional leaders attending the event expressed enthusiasm for the King`s presentation and indicated that they will follow suit in their constituencies, opening up additional opportunities for community mobilization. |
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iNET-SUPPORTED COMPUTER CENTERS LAUNCHED
 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) integration is becoming a reality at the Windhoek College of Education thanks to the USAID-funded Initiative for Namibian Education Technology (iNET).
iNET supports the creative integration of new technologies across the education system. With the recent launch of three computer centers (two for students and one for faculty), the Windhoek College now boasts around the clock internet connectivity and 40 computer workstations. Hon. Minister Nahas Angula officially accepted and opened the centers on behalf of the Ministry of Higher Education, Training, and Employment Creation on 27 July 2004.
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The National Institute for Educational Development (NIED) and iNET worked closely over many months with the Windhoek College of Education to deliver the computer centers. NIED provided 30 new workstations to each College of Education in Namibia. iNET provided extensive cabling and networking throughout the college as well as a full-time staff member to ensure 24/7 Internet connectivity in all centers. In addition, College faculty receive on-going training and support to ensure these remarkable new resources assist all student teachers make the exciting transition from college student to classroom teacher.
For more information, check out the following websites: http://www.nied.edu.na and http://www.edsnet.na/Edutech/iNET.htm. |
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USAID HELPS RURAL SCHOOL COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT OVCs
 Nine year old Matthias Elias comes hesitantly forward to perform a song for the visitors, uncertainty flashing from his black warm eyes. He smiles in response to the friendly faces focusing eagerly on him. Then he sings a song to welcome the visitors.
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Matthias is one of 114 children who are registered as orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs) at the Ohalushi Primary School, a school that is situated 30 kilometers from the town of Ondangwa in northern Namibia. Principal Priska Kambonde explains that Matthias has been living with his grandmother who looks after seven other grandchildren.
USAID provided a grant to the community of Ohalushi to establish an HIV/AIDS center at the school. One of the volunteers from the community, Ndapanda Amutenya, has been living positively with HIV for nine years and has recently received training as a counselor. She works in the community informing people about HIV and AIDS and plans to attend a computer course at a nearby village. She will then return to Ohalushi and offer computer classes to community members in order to raise funds for the OVC project. However, that is in the future.
Currently the HIV/AIDS center at the school is operating a small feeding scheme where the children are given a daily drink of "oshikundu"(a nourishing millet drink) so that they can be strong enough to concentrate on their school work. The Principal signals the visitors to follow her to the store room where 300 kilograms of "mahangu"(millet) is kept, which the community has donated to the feeding scheme.
"We had many problems of children either coming too late to school or sometimes fainting in class due to hunger," Mrs. Kambonde says, "Nowadays the learners come early to receive their share of oshikundu. The community has promised to give more, but we don`t have enough storage space. As you can see, we don`t even have an office."
The community aims to raise more funds to erect a building from where HIV/AIDS activities can be carried out. Steadily, the people of Ohalushi are reclaiming the future of their children which is being threatened by HIV and AIDS. |
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