Livayi hostel, school in dilapidated state

Robert Maseka and Musa Zimunya

LIVAYI, MARCH 20 -During the course of trying to contact the principal of Livayi Combined School, we developed a crush toward that lady from MTC  who says “this number is not reachable, please try later.” Situated 18 kilometres south of the Trans-Caprivi highway, 150 km from Rundu, the school is only accessible by 4×4 vehicle’s, perhaps a donkey if not on foot, obscuring it from civilisation.

The school presents a chance for grade 0 – 9 students to make a difference in their lives. It is situated just outside Livayi conservancy. Ten teachers educate some 200 learners, some of whom traverse a road that is treacherous in their quest to attain education.

Hostels are therefore deemed a necessity.

“Some of our learners wake up at 4 a.m. to start to walk to school. They live between 7 to 8 kilometres away. Look, we decided to build hostels, (even though they are made from mud) and the students participated because it was something that they also saw could benefit them,” according to principal Heinrich Kanyinga.

Another teacher described the situation at hand.

“The community within the sphere of influence of the Cluster Centre is characterized by crude poverty and functional illiteracy. Yet that is the least of what people on the ground are concerned about. Keeping children in school is of utmost importance.”

This is just a sneak peak of the sombre reality that constitutes the school.

We conjured up a situation that starts with a student going to relieve themselves in the bushes only to be struck by a snake. In that case, there must be a nurse if not a clinic, considering that this is a hostel.

“We use a pit latrine. But if the occasion presents itself, we can only send the child back to the parents. we don’t have a clinic. The closest clinic is some 170 kilometres away.”

Children wake up early and they are subject to unfavorable conditions which include waking up as early as 03:00hrs as they traverse the wilderness on their way to school.

Last week, according to the principal, a child from a nearby village who had gone to relieve himself in the bushes fled to his parents house with wild dogs in pursuit. The only reason that child is alive is due to the community that eliminated the imminent threat.

Even as winter is coming, there is insufficient clothing for the children.

“That is the worry now and winter is coming with no jackets or anything, and children commute bare footed. It is terrible for this side. Anyone out there who can help can please assist with whatever they have, said a teacher.

He added: “Children get sick. Last year there was an outbreak of scurvies everyone in the hostel got sick. We just had to send them home.Kids sleep between 6 to 7 on the floor, and actually, there are snakes as well because we are close to a conservancy.”

The closest clinic is 27 kilometres from the school and it is a business for entrepreneurs who charge between N$1600 and N$1 800 for transportation. – musa@namibiadailynews.info and mrobert@namibiadailynews.info