Primary education in the Hai//Om community living on resettlement farms adjacent to Etosha National Park has received a significant boost this week when tourism and conservation group, Ongava, presented the community with a new clinic building and a new hostel for girls.
The Chief Dawid Khamuxab Primary School on Farm Seringkop 454 was the scene of jubilant celebration when the school’s learners marked the occasion with much dancing and singing.
Reflecting on how far the school has come, Placidus Gerald Nu-Eiseb, Chairman of the !Gobaob Hai//Om Community Association, recalled the difficult conditions learners faced in its early years: “The children had been sleeping under that tree, in tents provided by the army. It was not easy. But as leaders, we stood firm behind our children because we believe that if our children are not educated, our future will be lost.”
Ongava said the project improves the safety and wellbeing of the learners. The sick bay is stocked with basic medical supplies and includes an office and examination room, patient rooms with en-suite bathrooms, and accommodation for visiting health workers. The girls hostel accommodates 90 girls with beds, lockers, ablutions and separate accommodation for a hostel mother.
Mrs. Sophia Ferdrieck, Director of Education for the Kunene Region, highlighted the role a hostel plays in helping learners continue their education: “When our children complete Grade 7 and have to go to Outjo, many end up dropping out because we do not have accommodation. Our dream is for this school to grow into a school that also offers secondary education.”
Outjo Councillor, Hon Kleofas Gaingob, pointed to the significance of the new facilities: “Seringkop is a place that all Hai//Om people should be proud of; it is a home for the Hai//Om people. What we are witnessing here today, a school hostel together with an attached health facility, is the first of its kind in the Kunene Region.
Both buildings have been fitted with fire extinguishers and sealed flooring. Upgrades to the school’s borehole which include servicing the pumps and installing a new solar power system, have improved water supply significantly.
Thanking other sponsors, Ongava said the building plans were done by Claud Bosch Architects with engineering services provided by Botha Consulting Engineers.
Commenting on the handover, Ongava Director, Derek Moore said: “These buildings are not just buildings, they’re investments in dignity, in health, and in opportunity. With these kids and education, it uplifts the entire community in time. We are grateful for the trust placed in us, and we look forward to continuing our journey as a partnership together with the Hai//Om community, the government, and all who share this vision.
Representatives of the Hai//om Traditional Authority, the !Gobaub Association, the Ministry of Education, Regional Leadership, and of Ongava.
Photographs by Venture Media.
