By Staff Reporter

SWAKOPMUND, May 5 — Swakopmund’s Mayor, Dina Namubes, recently gifted the residents of the DRC informal settlement with new toilet facilities, courtesy of the Swakopmund Municipality. Although the plan was to construct seven toilet facilities in different public spaces in DRC, only six of them were completed. Both male and female toilets were included in the construction project.

The initiative is called Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) and aims to help residents understand the harmful effects of poor sanitation while empowering them to find solutions for inadequate sanitary conditions. The municipality stated that this approach focuses on the entire community rather than individual behaviours. The first significant step of CLTS is to end open defecation and change sanitation behaviour.

Along with the toilets, a kiosk was also given to the residents of DRC. The kiosk is intended for potential future businesses and will house security guards to work towards reducing unwanted activities in the community, including vandalism. A selected community member, chosen by DRC’s community leaders, will operate and maintain the kiosk.

The community members expressed their gratitude to the municipality for this initiative, which has the potential to improve the quality of life and safety of the residents, particularly that of women in the area. This project is a step forward in providing adequate sanitation facilities to the residents of informal settlements, ultimately contributing to a healthier and safer living environment. – Namibia Daily News

By Staff Reporter

WINDHOEK, May 5 — Old Mutual Namibia, a prominent financial services provider, has reaffirmed its commitment to support community crime prevention initiatives through additional investment in the Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) program. The company’s support for community crime prevention initiatives started in 2015 through a partnership with the City Police for the Community Games and continued in 2018 with the Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) Association of Namibia in collaboration with the Namibian Police Force.

The NHW programme provides newly registered neighbourhood watches in Namibia with the material and equipment they need to strengthen their crime prevention efforts in their communities. In 2018-2022, Old Mutual Namibia invested over N$650,000 in purchasing CCTV cameras, razor-mesh fencing, uniforms, chargeable flashlights, entrance boards, and magnetic stickers from local suppliers, benefiting members of various neighbourhood watches in the capital city.

To provide further assistance, five previous beneficiaries of the Old Mutual Neighbourhood Watch program and five non-registered NHWs or Community Policing Groups (CPGs) are invited to apply for funding for equipment sponsorship to the value of N$10,000 (registered) and N$20,000 (non-registered). Old Mutual Namibia requires previous beneficiaries to submit a one-page report on how their previous sponsorship helped their NHW and why they need more support. They must also agree to mentor one non-registered NHW/CPG and provide the full names and contact details of governing members. Non-registered NHWs or CPGs must submit a one-page report on why Old Mutual Namibia should support them to register and provide their governing members’ names and contact details. All applications must be addressed to the Old Mutual Foundation at Foundation@oldmutual.com.

Mignon du Preez, Group Marketing, Public Affairs, and Sustainability Executive for Old Mutual Namibia, emphasized the company’s commitment to promoting community safety and security through various initiatives and partnerships. “Personal safety and security matters to everyone, and as an established Namibian brand, we have an invested interest in safeguarding our communities. We are pleased to announce an additional investment in the NHW program to provide material and equipment to support crime prevention efforts in communities,” she said.

Old Mutual Namibia’s investment in the NHW program will provide NHWs with the necessary equipment and material to strengthen their crime prevention efforts in their communities, promoting community safety and security.