Renthia Kaimbi
Shaama Combined School in the Ohangwena region has received a new perimeter fence as part of a N$500 000 donation from Ongete Fishing (Pty) Ltd, aimed at improving infrastructure at the school.
The handover took place on Friday at the school in Onanghulo village.
Government officials, traditional leaders and community members attended the ceremony.
The donation also includes plans for a soup kitchen, an administration block and a library, which are still under review.
School principal Toivo Shadjuuka said the fence ends years of operating without a secure boundary.
“We held school in the presence of goats and cattle and other trespassers and reached out to various companies to cordon the school boundary off, yet only Ongete responded,” he said.
“We appreciate the gesture. The days of holding school in the presence of goats and cattle are now a thing of the past.”
Shadjuuka said the school still faces major infrastructure challenges.
He said 211 boys share one toilet, 214 girls share two toilets, and 20 teachers use a storeroom as a staff room.
“As we grow, the school becomes more demanding with resources. But the most important one, the fence, has been resolved thanks to Ongete,” he said.
A statement by the executive director of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, Teofilus Nghitila, was delivered by Ndesheetelwa Shitenga.
Nghitila described the donation as a powerful example of meaningful corporate social responsibility in action.
He said a safe and supportive learning environment is essential, adding that the fence represents security, dignity, discipline and care.
He urged other companies to do the same, saying that corporate social responsibility, when carried out with purpose and sincerity, can be a strong tool for development.
Ongete Fishing board chairperson Klaivert Mwandingi said the company decided to invest in the community after benefiting from fishing quota allocations.
“As one of the companies that benefited from the fishing quota allocations… Ongete Fishing has chosen to invest part of its proceeds back into the community,” he said.
He said the fence is “a promise of safety, dignity, and an environment in which our children can safely learn with confidence” and urged the community to protect the facility.
The keynote address of Ohangwena regional governor Kadiva Hamutumwa was delivered by Oshikunde constituency councillor Willem Shatimwene.
He described the fence as a protective barrier that will keep children safe and said it offers safety, dignity and hope.
During the event, the school appointed Ongete board member Elizabeth Ihuhua as its first patron since the school was established in 2002.
“To be provided an opportunity to support this important work is a privilege I don’t take lightly. Therefore, I accept it with the commitment to serve, to guide and to support the vision and mission of this school,” she said.
The donation was accepted on behalf of the Ohangwena education directorate by Jona Nghisongwa, principal of Eembaxu Combined School.
“This donation has come at a critical time. It is not merely a physical structure but a vital component of a safe, secure, and conducive teaching and learning environment,” he said.
