Do more to address teen pregnancy-Haitembu
• By Martha Nangombe
AWARD winning sprinter and founder of Ndawana Haitembu Foundation Project (NHFP), Ndawana Haitembu says more work need to be done to address the high rate of teenage pregnancy and drug abuse rate in the country.
To this, Haitembu has been involving herself in charity work which has seen her give back to the communities around the Omusati region.
I came to the realisation that there are a lot of talented and unidentified bright youths scattered around the country and their talent remains unidentified due to poor identification strategies especially in the communities that I have lived in. There is a high teenage pregnancies and drug abuse rate in this areas due to poor guidance and lack of support,” she said.
Daughter to the late Daniel Haitembu, holder of the 400m record, Ndawana has donated Horticulture produce to kindergartens in the Omusati region.
“Athletics is seasonal so I decided to take advantage of off season time and it is good to engage yourself in other activities that will refresh your mind.
“I am now a full-time small-scale Horticulture and Small Livestock farmer in Olushandja, Omusati region which is located in the Northern part of Namibia. Additionally, I am a final year Bachelor of Sport Management student at the Namibia University of Science and technology (NUST). My wish is one day to be a PHD holder, coach and be a career advisor for the marginalised children in Namibia,” Haitembu said.
NHFP is a charitable foundation whose prime objective is to better the lives of rural and vulnerable communities, most especially school children through donation of farm produce, clothers and sanitary wear. The organisation aims at providing people in the Omusati region with additional food parcels.
“My vision for NHFP started 5 years ago while I was still attending school at the Rukonga Vision School (RVS) in Divundu, Kavango East Region. I was chosen as an outstanding academic student from Omaalala Primary School to get sponsorship to attend high school at RVS.
“You never know when lending a hand will completely transform someone’s life, so as a way of serving my community, I thought why not use my Athletic and Academic influence by formation of a Foundation to move into communities with the aim of improving the livelihoods of school going children. However, the implementation of the idea was a big challenge due to lack of financial support, the ~Covid-19 pandemic and academic pressure.
Earlier this year, I was chosen to assist in the launch of the promotional videos for the MTC We Race Together Project and used my stipends from that as a seed to the Foundation. I ran the idea by my mother and she offered me 2- hectare fenced land in the Olushandja area and bought 1 kg seeds of Spinach” she said.
NHFP Visionary and well-known Poultry farmer, Salome Haitembu told Confidente her role as a mother was to support the vision of her daughter.
“The foundation was a seed in her heart and as her mother, I had to give her a good environment for her vision to germinate. As part of her exercise and body maintenance, I opted for farming as a good exercise for her, both mental and physical to prepare herself for the next season.
“Ndawana grew up at a village and was exposed to the daily hardships and due to that she was able to experience the lives that people from the village experience. From her famous popularity that’s why she opted to give back to community,” she said.
Salome said Ndwana has a tender spot for young children and that inspired her to start the Foundation.
“Farming has always been our main source of income, so it was easy to choose farming because we get our hope from farming.
Athletics is an individual participation activity and is a short framed career, while farming is a lifelong investment.
That’s why she opted farming as part of her career,” she said.
All kindergartens are welcome to register for the food offer whether registered or not registered by Ministry of Education.