LOCATION: Utuseb
VALUE: N$ 330 000.00
Ohorongo Cement recently donated a storage container for building materials to the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia’s (SDFN) members in Narraville. In addition, 26 SDFN members were trained in the art of brick making.
Marketing Manager at Ohorongo Cement, Carina Sowden, explained the company committed in 2017 to provide the SDFN members in Narraville with further sup-port in the form of a container to use for on-site storage of cement and other building materials.
“Initially, the development of the Narraville project was slow. However, it recently started to show progress and Ohorongo Cement was able to only honour shown here today” Sowden added during the recent handing over ceremony.
Ohorongo Cement during a countrywide survey found very few people manage brick manufacturing the correct way. In view of that, the company launched the first-ever Ohorongo Brick Making Academy training in 2017. Apart from the training element, it also boosted the war against poverty and empowering people to build their own houses. Ohorongo Cement offers the training at no cost to selected trainees in all fourteen Regions of the
country. A civil engineer and concrete specialist at Ohorongo Cement, Martha Mwatile, explained for building structures to last for generations to come you need to master the art of brick making. “You need quality building blocks”, she explained to the understudies.
“Input determines output. You have to ensure you use the highest quality mate-rials when you want to build your house”, Mwatile explained.
Jurgens Nel, a technical advisor of Ohoron-go Cement also contributed to the training sessions and urged those who benefitted from the training spiral this newly acquired skill and knowledge to other people in their respective communities.
“These skills can be used to create an in-come for our trainees. We can create additional employment and by manufacturing bricks on-site you reduce building costs”, Nel explained to trainees.
To date, more than 300 people have been trained by Ohorongo Cement in the skill of brickmaking. The three-hours training program includes both theoretical and practical training. It covers factors like quality assurance and the use and care of brick forms and other equipment.
Juliana Van Wyk (58) is a member of the SDFN and resident of Narraville. She has six children to provide for. She is a SDFN members since 2007.
“The training I received today equips me with proper knowledge on how to manufacture a brickcorrectly. We are thankful to Ohorongo Cement for the skills they transferred. We believe it will open new doors for a brighter future for us all. We can start building in October this year already” explained van Wyk.
Rudi Maclobo (57) rents a single room for N$2500 per month. There is no privacy for him and his family. The children’s school work suffer as a result. When Maclobo joined SDFN in 2007 there were 68 members. Today the membership stands at 1 245 people. He expressed appreciation for what the municipality of Walvis Bay does for the SDFN.
SDFN Chairman for Narraville, Francisco Maree, expressed appreciation for what Ohorongo Cement was doing and is still doing for Namibian communities and said together everyone can make it.
Erongo RED, which donated the installation of electricity supply to the site at a cost of N$56 818, were also thanked for this wonderful gesture. Electricity supply also boosts brickmaking as the brick making machine employed there is powered by electricity.
