Dundee Precious Metals on Monday handed over 41 mattresses to the Katima Mulilo Urban Constituency, to be distributed to schools.
The mattresses which are valued at N.dollars 50 000 were procured after the constituency sought assistance early this year from the mining company.
Dundee Community Development Coordinator Christalin Mushongo at the handover said her company strives to live its core value of developing communities, even going beyond their region of operation in Oshikoto, and despite challenges they will assist wherever possible.
Katima Urban Constituency Councillor Kennedy Simasiku said receiving the donation was a relief considering the winter conditions the learners are facing. The 41 mattresses are divided among Caprivi Senior Secondary School and Kizito College which fall under Katima Urban.
Simasiku added that as a stakeholder in education, he and his office could not sit and solely rely on the government to provide essential services, but complement it with the little they can.
Caprivi Senior Secondary School hostel superintendent, Vincent Sinyepe said he was filled with joy over the kind gesture by both Dundee and the constituency. The hostel superintendent acknowledged that the school has been buying small, thin mattresses which are of low quality just to accommodate every learner in the hostel.
Sinyepe said to encourage the learners to do better in their education, the mattresses will be given first to the best performing learners in the hostel.
Meanwhile, Sinyepe also registered his concern with the local business community, which he said has not been responding positively to the needs of the children.
“The learners are yours, ours, and you need to come on board whenever assistance is sought as part of your corporate social responsibility,” he pointed out.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency