Standard Bank Namibia recently handed over a Hostel Kitchen to the Goeie Hoop Primary School, located some 140 kilometers East of Gobabis in the Epukiro Constituency of the Omaheke Region.
The revamped kitchen, which caters for 530 learners – largely from the San community – 40 hostel staff and 30 school staff, was built at a cost of N.dollars 500,000.
A media statement from Standard Bank Namibia’s Magreth Mengo on Wednesday said the project formed part of the bank’s Corporate Social Investment.
The statement quotes the bank’s Marketing Manager, Sindano Nekundi, who said the bank assisted the school after noticing that the hostel kitchen was in a deplorable state.
“True to the African proverb; ‘It takes a village to raise a child’, we took it upon ourselves to restore the dignity of the learners of Goeie Hoop Primary School once we learnt of their plight.”
“By sponsoring the renovations, we have given practical meaning to our slogan, ‘Namibia is our home, we drive her growth,” Nekundi said.
He implored Goeie Hoop Primary School Principal, Jesaya Mujoro, and his team to look after the kitchen well so that it can be used by future generations.
On his part, Mujoro thanked Standard Bank for its generous sponsorship, which he said will help uplift the school’s education standards.
“Thank you, Standard Bank, for helping us free ourselves from the degrading situation we had found ourselves in.
“Because of your generosity, we are able to establish a positive and friendly atmosphere in which all children can achieve success,” Mujoro said.
Standard Bank has been involved in the development of the San community since 2010, when it offered a four-year bursary worth N.dollars 120,000 to Ines Salukamba.
The bank has to date donated over N$1.4 million to the San community, including the N.dollars 500,000 that was used to renovate the Goeie Hoop Primary School Hostel Kitchen.
Meanwhile, Standard Bank has also committed another N.dollars 500,000 to renovate another facility in the region – the Mpe Thuto School Girl’s Hostel in Tsjaka, Kalahari Constituency.