75 vulnerable children fed from school garden

ST Barnabas Primary School principal Nahason Mbangura says the school soup kitchen feeds about 75 pupils daily, as many arrive at school in the mornings without having had anything to eat at home.

Mbangura says the school is very fortunate to have been chosen for the garden initiative, which greatly contributes to providing vegetables to the soup kitchen.

“Our vulnerable kids and orphans are really benefiting from this… there are so many learners that come from poor families and others that come from far away that don’t eat anything in the morning,” Mbangura says.

The school, which consists of approximately 900 learners, has a team of pupils which help tend the garden with the help of agriculture teacher Amon Kasaona.

Mbangura has expressed gratitude towards the Windhoek Country Club Resort for helping the school expand its garden.

The business said in a statement that a monthly financial contribution of N$6 250 has been directed towards addressing the critical need of providing nourishment for vulnerable children at the school.

In addition to supporting the nutritional needs of the pupils, they have backed the development of a garden at the school.

“This initiative, overseen by agriculture teachers, not only ensures a sustainable source of fresh produce for the school’s kitchen but also provides students with valuable agricultural knowledge and skills.”

Kasaona says agriculture is important in fostering skills among pupils, not only to give them a better opportunity at getting jobs in the sector but also for them to be able to have basic skills that help them in everyday life.

“If it was up to me, I would rename the entire subject to agrilife. When you look at the Namibian nation, generally 70 to 75% live on agriculture… They are farming, planting and tending to animals.”

Kasaona says agriculture is very important and pupils need to be mentored to acquire a certain level of agriculture skills.

Windhoek Country Club Resort head of health and safety Florence Rukata, an alumna of St Barnabas Primary School, expressed her joy at the hospitality establishment’s support of the school.

“I was once a learner at this school so it was like coming home… Being a learner here and having family at the school, I already knew what was needed,” Rukata says.

The expansion of the garden will help in skills development for pupils and contribute to teaching pupils to be independent, she adds.

Furthermore, the Windhoek Country Club Resort has played a key role in infrastructure development at the school, contributing to the construction of a retaining wall at the netball field, the first phase of the playground and the acquisition of books for primary classes. These ongoing projects reflect the Windhoek Country Club Resort’s continued investment and excitement about the positive impact on the lives of pupils, noted the statement.

“The passion and dedication exhibited by the school and its management are commendable and we are happy in the knowledge that our contributions go a long way in enriching the lives of our children,” says Rukata.