|
|
Home | Contact Us |
|
 |
|
Nawa 33 |
Apr 6 2005 |
| |
|
ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR FOR AFRICA ATTENDS PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION
 Lloyd Pierson, USAID Assistant Administrator for Africa, attended Namibia`s 15th Independence Day celebrations and the inauguration of Namibia`s second president, Hifikepunye Pohamba, on March 21, 2005. After fifteen years of rule, liberation hero and founding President Sam Nujoma handed over the symbols of office to the new Head of State. This historic political milestone, showered with much-welcomed rain, was attended by Presidents Obesanjo, Mbeki and Mugabe, among other African Heads of State. The peaceful and democratic manner in which the year-long transition took place demonstrates the strength of Namibia`s commitment to democratic values, due process and constitutionality.
|
This was a return visit to Namibia for Mr. Pierson. In 1990, he worked with the nascent government to establish a Peace Corps program in Namibia. Mr. Pierson was gratified to witness at the inaugural ceremony, the man with whom he worked in 1990, Hon. Nahas Angula, sworn-in as Namibia`s next Prime Minister.
During his trip, Mr. Pierson also visited an anti-retroviral treatment program at Katutura Hospital funded by the President`s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through CDC; a Catholic AIDS Action program to support orphans and vulnerable children, funded by PEPFAR through USAID; the award-winning Torra Conservancy in Damaraland where he learned about the USAID-funded community-based natural resource management program; and, the National Institute for Educational Development (NIED) Teachers` Resource Centre in Okahandja where he discussed USAID assistance for basic education. |
| |
|
VISIT TO THE BERNARD NORDKAMP CENTRE
 During his visit to Namibia, AA/AFR Lloyd Pierson visited the Bernard Nordkamp Centre in Katutura where Catholic AIDS Action runs a program of support for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC). The program is funded by the President`s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief through USAID.
The Nordkamp Center is one of three multi-purpose centers run by Catholic AIDS Action in urban areas. The Centre, opened in May 1999, provides services to people in need regardless of religious affiliation. It offers training and outreach programs for HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support, a soup kitchen for 130 OVC per day, income generating activities for HIV+ clients, post-test support groups, and an after-school learning and support program. Regular hours of counseling and testing are provided for HIV/AIDS (pre-test, post-test), bereavement and family counseling.
|
Home-based care is provided to 575 families by 88 Nordkamp Centre volunteers. Material and psycho-social support is provided to 990 registered orphans and 1500 orphans and vulnerable children benefit from after-school activities including art therapy, computer lab and assistance with homework.
The "Beaded Red Ribbon"income generating project has been very successful over the past months due to increased marketing. Twenty-five client families currently receive income from the sale of beaded ribbons they make on-site.
A Youth Education and Prevention Program consists of interactive discussions of age-appropriate HIV/AIDS topics with children at the Centre and young adults in the community: Adventure Unlimited is a program for children 8-12 years old, while the Stepping Stones program is aimed at the age group of 12 years and older. Both programs are offered in schools and youth groups throughout the area. |
| |
|
VISIT TO THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
 On Tuesday, March 22nd, Lloyd Pierson visited the National Institute for Educational Development (NIED) in Okahandja, north of Windhoek, to observe USAID assistance under the Basic Education Support Program.
NIED is the Government`s educational think tank responsible for advising the government on educational reforms related to curriculum development, professional development of teachers and teacher trainers, educational research, and development of educational materials. NIED was established in 1990 as a Directorate within the Ministry of Basic Education Sport and Culture.
|
Since 1991 with USAID/Namibia`s support, NIED developed a new curriculum for grades 1— 4, prepared 10 training modules and trained 1400 educators in school management, parental and community involvement and HIV/AIDS.
Volunteer-trainers and computer labs were provided to the four teacher training colleges to improve teacher training. With USAID assistance, the Education Ministry established a website that contains a wide range of teaching and training materials, syllabi, teacher`s guides, sample lesson plans, and information on HIV/AIDS prevention activities. For schools that do not have access to the web, CDs containing the same information that is on the web were produced and will be updated annually in order to provide educators with state-of-art teaching and learning materials for use in classrooms.
USAID is continuing its support to NIED under BES-III (2005-2010) in the areas of curriculum development, development of instructional materials and development of an instrument for testing grade-4 learners in the accomplishment of basic competencies in reading, writing, math and life skills.
A major program of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Education supported by USAID is based at NIED. Its two components are:
Initiative for Namibian Education Technology (iNET): iNET is responsible for providing ICT hardware and software to Teacher Resource Centers, Teacher Training Colleges and to NIED. iNET also provides ICT relatedtechnical assistance and training to NIED staff and lecturers at the four Teachers Training Colleges in Namibia.
Namibian Educational Technology Alliance (NETA) is a Global Development Alliance (GDA) activity funded by USAID, and U.S. and Namibian NGOs. NETA is providing software (teaching and learning) and training to selected schools in Namibia. Microsoft contributed computers to the NETA`s program. |
| |
|
|
