Mayor’s trust supports needy

THE Keetmanshoop mayor’s trust has donated 31 full school uniform sets to local primary school pupils to ease the strain on some of the hardest-hit families amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Trust chairperson Nicolette Kamahene, speaking at the handover ceremony at the municipal chambers on Friday, said the trust, despite limited resources to its disposal, has decided to assist vulnerable children.

“We live in extremely challenging economic times, and any contribution by any entity or business to supplement endeavours of the government to ease the economic hardship is, in view of the trustees, of essence,” she said.

The donated school uniforms, worth N$9 884, will benefit pupils from the local Don Bosco, Minna Sachs and St Mathias primary schools.

The trust also donated blankets, sheets, curtains, pillows, educational material, toys and water dispensers, worth N$30 000, to Covid-19 isolation and quarantine facilities in the region.

Kamahene dismissed recent media reports suggesting the trust has become dormant.

“The mayor’s trust, of which I am the chairperson, has never been dormant, and has actively played its role since its inception,” she said.

Kamahene said the trust aims to assist vulnerable members of the community, such as those living with HIV-AIDS, orphans, children, senior citizens and unemployed single mothers.

“Wearing a school uniform frees a pupil from the stress of what to wear to school, and improves their self-esteem, because when everyone is dressed the same, worrying about what you look like is not important,” said /Awebahe //Hoeseb, director of education for the //Kharas regional.

Sandra !Owoses, director of health for the //Kharas region, applauded the concerted efforts of the region’s inhabitants to help contain the spread of Covid-19, cognisant of the strain on the heath sector.