King Lager house-winner ready to move in

WINDHOEK, 25 MAY – The lives of 54-year old, Helena David and her family, who hail from the Oshikoto Region, changed for good when she turned the key that would open the door to a brand-new built two-bedroom house.

David always had dreams of owning a house she could call her own, and that came to fruition when she was selected as the overall winner of the King Lager “Win a House” competition held in 2017.

David is a member of the Twangana group of shack dwellers as well as a married mother of three. She had been saving up for the past 20 years in the hope of one day owning her own house.

Helena David leading the way into her new house.

By the time the King Lager campaign was launched, her savings stood at N$180,000, but after emerging as the winner of the King Lager campaign, David won an extra N$500,000 towards the house she has been dreaming of.

King Lager is Namibia’s first un-malted beer that was introduced to the Namibian beer market in November 2015.

NBL, according to its Managing Director, Wessie van der Westhuizen decided to support government efforts by creating a new value chain and backing the local agricultural industry.

A Public Private Partnership (PPP) involving the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry; AgriBusDev, Green Scheme farmers and NBL contributed to the local barley success story.

The new home to the David family. Helena David walked away as the overall winner of the King Lager campaign in 2017, and won N$500, 000 towards a home. A house was built, and officially handed over to Helena and her family on Wednesday, 23 May 2018.

A feasibility study to grow barley in Namibia and reduce imports from Europe was done, followed by tests of barley seed varieties in different environmental conditions, after which the first small patch of barley was harvested in 2012.

This was followed by a trial production for King Lager in 2013, where NBL produced the Independence Brew for the 23rd independence celebrations in March. The feedback was positive and reassuring, which led to an executive decision to continue the growing and harvesting of barley. King Lager was officially born.

Van der Westhuizen continued to emphasize that the barley project was aimed at contributing to the growth of the local agricultural sector.

Namibia Breweries Limited (NBL) Managing Director, Wessie van der Westhuizen (right) congratulating Helena David at the handover ceremony of her new house as winner of the King Lager campaign.

“The idea was always that in the off-season when local farmers did not have anything to grow, to then compliment that basket with barley. The barley project has the potential to host at least 2000 jobs through the establishment of the industry. Currently King Lager is absorbing all the un-malted barley we are harvesting from the fields. It thus has a very patriotic and critical role to play making it a brand that upholds true Namibian pride!”

According to NBL Brand Manager: Mainstream, Samanthe Heyns, construction of the house commenced on the 08th of March 2018 and was officially completed on the 18th of May.

“Handing this house over to someone who really needs it gives us so much joy. We are extremely happy and proud that we made this competition possible and granted Helena the opportunity to have a better life for her and her family by winning this competition. We are truly inspired by this and wish them all the best going forward.”

An excited Helena David and her husband Joel in their new home.

Helena David’s excitement was undeniable when she received the keys to what she and her family would now call “home”.

“For years I have been struggling to have my own house, and just as I was about to give up, King Lager – a beer brewed from our Namibian soil – was born to remind me and others to never give up on our dreams. Winning the King Lager competition has certainly given me renewed hope in life and faith in humanity. My life has changed together with that of my husband and children. I am so grateful for NBL and King Lager in particular for this invaluable gift.”

The new home to the David family. Helena David walked away as the overall winner of the King Lager campaign in 2017, and won N$500, 000 towards a home. A house was built, and officially handed over to Helena and her family on Wednesday, 23 May 2018.

Helena David has been living with her husband and one of three children in a shack at the Greenwell Matongo resettlement area in Windhoek for the past twenty (20) years. Their new home is a two-bedroom house with a lounge, kitchen and bathroom.

“At last I can look forward to cook a sumptuous meal in MY kitchen for my family; appreciate the privacy of a bed-and-bathroom and enjoy making memorable moments with my family in the comfort of our living room – all under one roof that we can now call ‘home, sweet home!”

O&L Group Manager: Corporate Communications, Roux-che Locke said it is extremely humbling to know that through a truly Namibian product, King Lager, we have realized the dream of Meme Helena David and in so doing manifest our purpose of ‘Creating a future, enhancing life’.

Helena David (2nd from right) accompanied by her son, Tyson (left), her husband Joel (2nd from left) when she officially received her prize (a two-bedroom house with lounge, kitchen and bathroom) from NBL Managing Director, Wessie van der Westhuizen.

“The fact that she has been saving for 20 years to own her own house, is just a confirmation that she is absolutely deserving of this fantastic prize! I am extremely excited for the David family and I am sure this is enough reason for them to be inspired to continue chasing their dreams and achieve even greater things in life going forward. Big ups to King Lager and NBL for making dreams come true!”