Khomas first region to receive food support from Old Mutual for people without shelter
Old Mutual this week distributed the first trance of its extensive pledge made a week ago, in the form of a substantial donation of basic food items to the Psychosocial Support Response Team that supports individuals at existential level to overcome the duress of the lockdown period.
The response team resorts under the National Health Emergency Management Committee in the Ministry of Health and Social Services.
The financial services group’s Executive: Marketing, Communication and Customer Strategy, Ndangi Katoma presented the assortment of food to the Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Ester Muinjangue, and to Luitenant Colonel Josephine Nghishoongele of the Namibia Defence Force.
Katoma said his company has pledged N$5 million to support the national Covid-19 response. Of this amount, N$1 million has been earmarked for the provision of food to poor and vulnerable communities.
This has been allocated proportionately to all 14 regions of the country. The Khomas region’s slice amounts to N$208,000 which was used to secure the food presented to the ministry on Wednesday morning.
“Today therefore, we are here to witness the delivery of food supplies for identified vulnerable people in the Khomas region to the value of N$208,029. The food supply delivery comprises dried foods that will be distributed to about 400 homeless individuals and families in total, who have recently been given temporary shelter at the Teacher’s Resource Centre in Katutura and the Khomasdal Stadium for the duration of the lockdown period,” said Katoma.
On her part, Deputy Minister Dr Muinjangue said “Psychosocial support is a process of facilitating resilience within individuals, families and communities by respecting their independence, dignity and coping mechanisms. Psychosocial support promotes restoration of social cohesion and infrastructure. It is based on the idea that if people are empowered to care for themselves and each other, their individual and communal self-confidence and resources will improve. This, in turn will encourage positive recovery and strengthen their ability to deal with challenges in the future.”
Since the start of the emergency, the ministry has conducted a rapid assessment of those most vulnerable in the Khomas region. It was established that about 900 people are in immediate need of shelter. Of these, 360 has been moved to the Katutura Youth Hostel and the Khomasdal Stadium.
Another 400 people without shelter, including those still on the street have been registered, provided with food, water, sanitation, clothes and blankets, as well as with psychosocial support, counselling and public health education.
Help to care for people without shelter has also come from a number of organisations that partnered with the ministry to extend immediate relief measures. These include several community-based organisations and even the University of Namibia and the PDM political party.
“We are grateful for the effort and kind assistance that we are receiving from Old Mutual Namibia, in helping us to cater for the needs of vulnerable persons. We trust that this partnership will continue to go from strength to strength in the fight against COVID-19. We call upon others to follow suit,” concluded the Deputy Minister.
Caption: From the left: Luitenant Colonel, Josephine Nghishoongele of the Namibia Defence Force, Hon Dr Ester Muinjangue, the Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services; Ndangi Katoma, Old Mutual’s Executive: Marketing, Communications and Customer Strategy, Manny Kandjii, Control Social Worker in the Ministry of Health and Social Services, and Michael Shilongo from the Psychosocial Support Response Team under the National Health Emergency Management Committee.
