WINDHOEK, DEC 17 – In light of the recent outstanding performances of the para-athletes at the Tokyo Paralympics, the Sisa Namandje Foundation Trust became the recent company to donate cash prizes to the para-athletes. In this regard, the Trust awarded Ananias Shikongo, fifteen thousand Namibian dollars (N$ 15 000), Johannes Nambala, and the guide, Sem Shimanda, each received ten thousand Namibian dollars (N$ 10 000).
During the award ceremony, Honourable Agnes Tjongarero, Minister of Sport, Youth and National Service, while commending the Sisa Namandje Foundation Trust, also acknowledged all the other corporate companies and private citizens who dug deep in their pockets to recognize the achievements of the athletes. She requested the corporate companies to bear in mind that sport development is a continuous process, which requires companies to emerge and reward athletes not only for their performances but also during the preparation time because, that is the period when athletes are made or broken.
Mrs. Taimi Iileka Amupanda, Chairperson of the Sisa Namandje Foundation Trust, remarked that “this gesture shows gratitude and appreciation to our Paralympians and reaffirms our position as a foundation towards sport and also an inspiration for you to do well, and continue to do good work in your sports career”.
Mr. Jean-Paul Schmidt from the Namibia National Paralympic Committee (NNPC) thanked the Foundation for the gesture remarking that ‘the road to 2024 started already and we have seen that, the efforts from the corporate industry are genuinely needed and truly appreciated”.
Ananias Shikongo, a para-athlete who spoke on behalf of his fellow Paralympian athletes, expressed gratitude to the Sisa Namandje Foundation. “What the Foundation did today is good news to us”. He went on to express his gratitude to the Trust to also recognize the role of the guide, by stating “if you are counting Ananias, and you forgot about Sem, it is equivalent to remembering a car and forgetting the driver”.
In conclusion, Hon. Tjongarero declared that she looked forward to a great partnership between the Foundation and the Namibia National Paralympic Committee. – NDN Staffer
Sisa Namandje Foundation Donates to Para-Athletes
