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Nawa 36 |
Jul 14 2005 |
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U.S. SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT GOES FULL CIRCLE
 On 28 February 1967, the U.S. government handed an air ticket to a deserving young man from then ’South West Africa’ to study in the U.S., a scholarship having been provided by the Africa America Institute. Today, that man, Nangolo Mbumba, is Namibia`s Minister of Education. Thirty-eight years after receiving his own scholarship, Honorable Minister Mbumba joined U.S. Ambassador to Namibia Joyce Barr on July 7 to launch a U.S.-funded program that will provide 950 scholarships to deserving young Namibian women.
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Addressing the beneficiaries at the launch, U.S. Ambassador to Namibia, Joyce Barr said: "Our expectation is that you will become part of the global society of educated young women who are poised to develop into literate women…better prepared to make informed decisions related to personal and political choices, and…able to make valuable contributions to your families and communities."
The official launch of the U.S. Ambassador`s Girls Scholarship Program took place at Aris Farm School, south of Windhoek. The program is designed to enable vulnerable and marginalized girls to complete their primary school education. Scholarships will provide approximately N$900 per annum to each girl over the next three years to cover school uniforms, school supplies, boarding and lodging fees, mentoring and psychosocial support.
The Scholarship Program is part of the US$200 million U.S. President`s Africa Education Initiative (AEI) that began in 2002. AEI is designed to promote educational opportunities for African children by training over 420,000 teachers; producing and providing 4.5 million textbooks in partnership with Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the U.S.; and offering more than 266,600 scholarships to marginalized and vulnerable African girls. Namibia is also receiving support under AEI for teacher training and textbook development.
In Namibia the Girls Scholarship Program is being implemented in 11 of 13 regions by three Non-Governmental Organizations: the African Women Educationalists in Namibia; the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia AIDS Program, and the National Federation of People with Disabilities in Namibia.
One poised and bright-eyed young scholarship recipient, expressing gratitude on behalf of all recipients, concluded with the words: "You put a smile back on our faces, and we will work hard to demonstrate that your support was money well spent." |
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DAY OF THE AFRICAN CHILD
 Children from fifteen different schools sang and danced through the streets of Ongwediva in a March of Remembrance, celebrating the Day of the African Child on 18 June.
Marchers arrived at the Sam Nujoma Multi-Purpose Center, where several speakers addressed youth and adults alike in a hall that was packed to capacity. The theme of the day, `African Orphans, Our Collective Responsibility`, resonated with the youth-filled audience members as the Multi-Purpose Center looks after over 100 orphans and vulnerable children with its after school programs. At the conclusion of the speeches, youth from each school performed songs, dramas, dances and poems. One of the most memorable performances was from the Eluwa School, as deaf and blind students took the stage for a moving song and dance piece. The children`s performances were powerful and poignant, a reminder that the future will be a brighter place if they are given the help needed to succeed.
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At lunchtime, the students received plenty of food and cool drinks thanks to the generous donations from local businesses. The event enabled students to mingle with peers from other schools. As other schools closed for the day, more children arrived to take part in the afternoon`s open house activities. Entertaining dramas and musical performances by the Ongwediva Youth Choir, Oshana Cultural Group, Childline/Lifeline and others brought smiles to the faces of many of the children. A nearly unlimited supply of chalk and crayons was provided at drawing tables outside for the young artists in the group. The cement slabs around the new office building, built with funding from the US Department of Defense, were decorated wonderfully by the kids. Hundreds of flip chart papers were splashed with color and works of art sprang to life. The dancing, singing, drawing and fun went on well past 5 o`clock. The festivities only ended when the sun had set.
The day was a major success, bringing the community together and reminding us that children truly are the future. Volunteers from the U.S. Peace Corps and the VSO were instrumental in assisting in the coordination of the center’s event. The Sam Nujoma Multi-Purpose Center`s activities are partially supported by the U.S. President’s Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief. |
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VITAL SUPPORT FOR LIFELINE/CHILDLINE TRAINING CENTER
 On the 7th of July 2005, the LifeLine/Childline training center and renovated headquarters were opened by Ambassador Joyce Barr, officiating on behalf of the U.S. President`s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.
LifeLine/Childline has provided all sectors of the Namibian community with telephonically accessible crisis intervention and psychosocial support services since 1980. These services are mainly provided by concerned citizens who volunteer their time and expertise to support those in need of help. LifeLine`s services have expanded to include a 15 hour crisis team response, trauma debriefing, HIV/AIDS pre- and post-test counseling, retrenchment counseling, outreach programs, corporate training and peer counseling training.
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In 1996, LifeLine merged with the then inactive Childline in an effort to gain more comprehensive support for the emotional health of children. The Childline "Feeling YES, Feeling NO"life-skills school program was launched in 1998 and greatly expanded in 2002 with support from the U.S. Government.
In his remarks, Honorable Helmut Angula, Director-General of the National Planning Commission, underlined the need for this participatory program which teaches children about domestic and sexual abuse, how to prevent abuse, gives children the skills to respond to unwanted sexual approaches, and how to deal with strangers. He said, "It is shocking to know that the percentage of children who are raped and sexually abused is much higher than any other violence committed against children."He drew attention to the impact this has on their lives, "…particularly when we know that some of the children and indeed women get infected with HIV in the process of the abuse. Children are the future political and corporate leaders of any nation, and hence their rights should be protected."
By the end of 2004, over 70,000 children had directly benefited from the life skills program. In 2004, additional components were added to the Childline curriculum, including a radio program produced by and for children between the ages of 8 and 14. A puppet show is being developed for children between the ages of three and six to teach safety tips for talking to strangers and to explore the meaning of "yes and no"feelings.
In 2005, LifeLine/Childline received N$3,300,000 from the U.S. Emergency Plan for their HIV/AIDS programs, enabling them to build the capacity of its small professional team of trainers and to continue developing trusted relationships with its local volunteer bases throughout the nation. |
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