Staff Reporter
A group of final-year students from the University of Namibia (UNAM) is appealing for public support in the form of donations for their law firm’s community impact project, which aims to benefit Ombyarundu Primary School in Opuwo.
The Blackstone law firm is one of UNAM’s legal aid clinics and is involved in professional ethics assessments. Students are assigned various tasks to engage with communities, identify challenges that have a significant impact on people’s lives, and provide solutions. Their projects are evaluated based on their success.
Consequently, the firm is reaching out to the general public, requesting donations of used clothing for children aged 7 to 13, maize meal bags, cosmetics, shoes, uniforms, mattresses, and any other essential items for schoolchildren. These donations will be delivered to the designated school.
Johanna Iipinge, the spokesperson for the group, said that Ombyarundu Primary School is one of the few platforms that provide opportunities and improved living conditions for Himba and Damara communities residing in the Ombyarundu Village of the Ruacana Constituency.
Iipinge explained that the firm selected Ombyarundu Primary School, located 8 kilometres from the NAMPOWER Hydro Plant in the Ruacana Constituency, due to the marginalized learners it serves. The aim is to raise public awareness about the school’s current situation.
“The kindergarten has been operating for 5 years with the assistance of donors from the Netherlands Connected to Namibia (CTN) until it was registered as a school with the Ministry of Education on January 1, 2021. The purpose of this initiative was to address absenteeism and late arrivals resulting from the majority of learners living in remote areas. The school hostel, now housing the majority of the 95+ registered learners aged between 5-14 years, also aims to improve their performance,” she said.
Iipinge highlighted that the school typically provides food for 45 to 60 students in the hostel. This requires 7 bags of 50kg maize meal, priced at N$600 each, 2×10 kg of sugar at N$160 each, 2×5-litre cooking oil at N$450 each, and 7x5kg of soup at N$150 each. However, the number of dropouts in the hostel has increased due to a lack of food.
“Parents are unable to support the school as they rely on government drought relief. Consequently, the school is facing closure because it has been deemed unprofitable,” she concluded.
Those willing to assist can contact the firm at +264 81 323 0267 / +264 81 789 3919 or email: [email protected].
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