Winter warmers for the east
Two institutions in Gobabis benefited from voluntary donations.
Agribank staff members recently donated blankets and winter clothes to the Gobabis Project School and the Epako Old Age Home. These items were collected from staff members on a voluntary basis over the past two months as part of their efforts to complement the bank’s corporate social responsibility.The Gobabis Project School has an intake of about 1700 learners from the most vulnerable sections of society, while the Epako Old Age home provides care and shelter to a number of pensioners at the town.
A delighted principal of the Gobabis Project School, Pezee Katjiuanjo, thanked Agribank and its staff members for the generous gesture, noting that some of the children do not even have a jersey to wear, let alone blankets as many come from poor communities on the outskirts of the eastern town.
He urged learners to be thankful, noting that donations of such a nature should inspire them to study hard and re-dedicate themselves to their schooling career.
“This gesture should inspire you to take your school work seriously and become someone that Agribank can employ in future so you can improve the living conditions of your parents and your own someday,” he said.
On his part, Agribank’s Midland Branch Manager, Kamaauu Nandova, also encouraged the learners to study hard. “You are the future leaders and we want to see some of you taking over from us when you grow up. As a bank, we encourage learners to take agriculture as a subject seriously so that we can ensure food security and sustainability in the long run,” he said.
At the event, Victoria Shamhe – Agribank’s Human Resources Officer who initiated the staff donation – “adopted” a learner Simon Suze, to assist with his school uniform and stationery. Selma Endjala, the bank’s branch controller at Gobabis also “adopted” Maria /Hochobes, a grade 3 learner at the school, pledging to support her with school uniforms and stationery.