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Two more classrooms at Monte Christo make space for more learners

Two more classrooms at Monte Christo make space for more learners

Poverty is one of the main reasons why children are not attending school and this is unacceptable. Helping to change the deplorable conditions of informal communities, The Ohlthaver & List Group earlier this week inaugurated two more mobile classroom it has donated to the Monte Christo Project School with its 440 learners on the outskirts of Windhoek.

To date, the Group has invested in four mobile classrooms to the value of N$ 1.5 million while adding a soup kitchen at the school which will play a critical role in feeding the young learners and keeping them fit for education.

“On behalf of the entire O&L Group, we are extremely humbled by the opportunity to make a difference in the life of the Namibian child and I can assure you that the relationship we have fostered with the Monte Christo Project School is one we hope and look forward to continue for years to come”, said the O&L Group Executive Chairman, Sven Thieme.

He said education is a fundamental human right, and a key driver to building a prosperous nation.

“While building innovative and sustainable businesses is imperative to growing an economy, and a growing economy is the key to creating jobs and addressing unemployment, all of these are dependent on the ability of the labor force to deliver upon the needs of industry. We must therefore put the necessary resources behind education and skills development so that our own people are empowered and equipped to fill the skills gap we are often faced with.” Thieme continued.

Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, Veno Kauaria, said the Monte Christo Project School is an initiative of its Khomas directorate to cater for the needs of the learner population in the area. Two other schools, namely the Moses Garoëb Project School (also supported by the O&L Group for the past three years) and the Havana Secondary Project School were also established either in tents or in prefabricated structures due to the high demand for school facilities in the area.

Monte Christo principal, Elizabeth Murangi said “Nothing we do or say will ever justify what the O&L Group means for our school and community. We appreciate and treasure the special relationship that we enjoy with our O&L family. The classrooms donated last year has made such a difference in the learning environment and spirit of the learners and teachers that I am fully confident that these two new classrooms will add even more spark to the lives and performance of both the learners and the teachers.”


In the picture, O&L Group Director: Human Capital, Berthold Mukuahima (back left) officially hands the classrooms to the Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Arts & Culture, Veno Kauaria (back right). The Councilor of the Moses Garoëb Constituency, David Martin stands front left and the Director of Education, Arts & Culture, Gerard Vries, front right.


 

 

About The Author

Mandisa Rasmeni

Mandisa Rasmeni has worked as reporter at the Economist for the past five years, first on the entertainment beat but now focussing more on community, social and health reporting. She is a born writer and she believes education is the greatest equalizer. She received her degree in Journalism at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) in June 2021. . She is the epitome of perseverance, having started as the newspaper's receptionist in 2013.