Omundudu family loses harvest to fire

OMUNDUDU, 13 JUN  – A family of 26 at Omundudu village in the Ohangwena Region’s Engela Constituency on Monday experienced a devastating fire which destroyed their entire mahangu harvest, leaving the family without sustenance.
It is suspected that a fire spark from a nearby cuca shop, where people were cooking outside on an open fire, first torched the immediate grassland. The fire then spread to the family’s traditional thresher due to strong winds experienced in the area that day.
The mahangu produce, which was stored on the thresher after the family completed the year’s harvesting recently, is completely spoiled.
The emotional house caretaker, Martha Valyange told Nampa on Tuesday that the house owner (Jason Mundjebela) is in Walvis Bay where he is informally employed.
She said the family is now in need of food donations to take them through to the next harvest.
Six members of the family are school children, three are toddlers and the rest are either informally employed or jobless.
Valyange said on the day of the incident, neighbours and learners from the Omundudu Combined School rushed to the scene to help put the fire out. They managed to block it from reaching the house and a nearby overhead electric cable.
Ohangwena Regional Councillor for the Engela Constituency, Jason Ndakunda told Nampa on Tuesday he informed the Office of the Governor (Usko Nghaamwa) about the incident for possible assistance to the family.
“Staff members from there visited the family to do an assessment,” he said, sympathising with the family and also appealing to Government and Good Samaritans to offer some assistance.
Ndakunda said the house caretaker is traumatised by the loss and is in need to be assisted and counselled.
Omundudu is located some 25 kilometres north of Oshakati.

NAMPA