Brickmaking academy in line with national development goals

WINDHOEK, Feb. 16 – Earlier this week 17 people from the Erongo Region benefited from the free brickmaking skills training offered by Ohorongo Buildit Brickmaking Academy.
The Brickmaking Academy which started nearly a year ago, is the contribution towards the war against poverty by the partnership between Ohorongo Cement and one of its customers, the Buildit group.

The Governor of Erongo Region, Hon. Cleophas Mutjavikua praised the companies for their efforts in addressing the national concerns of employment creation and poverty eradication.

“This small-scale knowledge is in line with our national development goals of Vision 2030, which calls for rapid economic growth to be accompanied by equitable social development, such as employment generation, which in return could fulfil the basic needs of low-income groups,” said the Governor.

“In Walvis Bay and Swakopmund, we deployed two brickmaking machines, they are idling, occupy those first,” the Governor encouraged trainees.
Hon Mutjavikua pledge his office’s further support to the trainees in their efforts.

The four hour training entailed both theoretical and practical guidance in the production of quality bricks, as well as on quality assurance mechanisms and the maintenance and caretaking of brick moulds and other equipment.

To ensure sustainability of their business ventures, Buildit has committed to purchase the bricks, pending adherence to quality control measures. This would create a permanent offset area for your products.

Supervision of the training session in Swakopmund was done by Ohorongo Cement’s Marketing Manager, Mrs. Carina Sowden. She told that trainees that the dream is to have a brickmaker in every village and that in order for their businesses to flourish, it would require their full commitment.

“You are the masters of your own destinies, as well as those of fellow Namibians. For you to ensure that your business ventures are run in a sustainable manner, you must continuously ensure that you use the best quality products to ensure the best outcome. Input determines output,” she said.

Beyond the training, Ohorongo Technical Team, together with a support team from Buildit stores, will continue to provide technical assistance and advice to the trainees to ensure sustainability & support.
“I have learned new skills today,” said Piet Hoabeb from Daures constituency.
“I now know how to look out for the right type of sand, that I must use drinkable water, mixing ratios of the sand & cement needs to be right, and which type of Ohorongo cement is the best for the application of brickmaking,” he boasted.

He currently has 6 people assisting him with his brickmaking project, which only started 8 months ago. Piet is determined to use his new skills to teach others and to grow his business further.

Over 100 people from the Oshikoto-, Oshana-, Omusati-, Khomas-, Otjozondjupa- and Ohangwena regions has thus far received the brickmaking training free of charge through the Academy.

Trainees are nominated through the offices of the Regional Governors with the only requirement of being conversant in English.
The next training session will take place in March for Kavango East- and –West.
NOTE: Ohorongo Cement / Buildit are not qualified training institutions and cannot accredit any individual after training has been done. Training is done solely in support of Harambee, transfer of skills & knowledge & job creation in order to empower people on community level. – NDN Staffer