04 Aug 2016

Fifteen beneficiaries under Poverty Eradication Programme have completed a successful six weeks course of leather work at Ngamiland Rural Training Centre situated in Nxaraga village.

All the participants who were from Ghanzi region were equipped with basic information and knowledge on leatherwork.

They were taught designs of patterns and transfer using pencil, cutting and assembly, colouring and finishing of hides and skins.

Speaking during the closing ceremony of the training, Ghanzi district agricultural coordinator, Ms Miriam Munamava urged the beneficiaries to take advantage of the poverty eradication programme and do more to improve their standard of living.

She said the programme is coming to an end 2017 and encouraged beneficiaries to utilise the programme fully, adding that the objective of the programme is to uproot poverty amongst the communities.

She also revealed that the programme is aimed at giving them dignity by coming up with projects which could generate income. 

Ms Munamava said they should consider themselves lucky because government cared about them hence the introduction of several initiatives aimed to improve their lives.

She also expressed concern that the poverty eradication programme is not producing the positive results as expected because some people do not take the initiative seriously, hence their projects collapse.

She urged beneficiaries to prove wrong people who believe that the programme is not working by taking it seriously and do sustainable projects which eventually would create jobs for others.

“You should start making some savings to grow your businesses and prove to others that government programmes are beneficial. 

This programme is coming to an end 2017 and I urge you to use this chance to the maximum,” she added.

Beneficiaries were also advised to form groups and work as a team in order for their businesses to survive. 

The coordinator observed that working as a group could bring bigger results as they could own a big project and easily penetrate the market.

Ms Munamava said working in silos especially in rural areas might be a disadvantage because the market is slim.

She further urged officers to do some follow ups to ensure progress in the projects. She assured beneficiaries support from her office to ensure the programme produce expected results.

For their part, beneficiaries complained about the slow implementation of the programme. They decried the delay to be given the necessary materials and equipment to kick-start their projects.

Mr Mabue Moseki who was from Charleshill presented the graduates’ concerns and explained that some beneficiaries had long been trained at Struizendam and up to-date they had not been given material.

He said if relevant officers could speed up the programme implementation that could encourage beneficiaries to work hard and apply what they have acquired from the training.

He said it is worrisome as some beneficiaries are old and end up forgetting what they had learnt. 

Mr Moseki requested that beneficiaries of the Struizendum Poverty Eradication workshop be given what they have been trained for. ENDS