Japan donates N$8.5m in hygiene kits to Namibia
The Japanese government has donated Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) supplies and dignity kits valued at N$8.5 million to Namibia, in partnership with Unicef and the health and social services ministry.Japan’s ambassador to Namibia, Shinichi Asazuma, officially handed over the items to Johannes Gaseb, acting executive director for health and social welfare policy, during a visit to the Khomas regional health directorate warehouse in Windhoek last week.
Unicef representative Samuel Kweku Ocran said the donation includes essential hygiene items aimed at supporting vulnerable communities.
“These items you are seeing are WASH and dignity kits, and these are part of the number of items and services that form part of the humanitarian support from the Government of Japan,” Ocran said.
“It’s about N$8.5 million, and this has already been launched by the prime minister and the minister of health. The items have started coming, and we came here to see them before they go to the beneficiaries.”
Growing initiative
Stanley Awa-Eiseb, chief environmental health practitioner at the health ministry, confirmed that the kits will be distributed to four drought-affected regions: Omaheke, Zambezi, Omusati and Kunene.
Meanwhile, Mathew Shuuya, Unicef’s WASH and climate specialist, said the shipment is part of a larger initiative to introduce suitable hygiene solutions to the local market.
“More consignments are expected as part of this humanitarian support. We are going to be working with three local authorities – Windhoek, Onipa and Rundu – to pilot and see if the products are acceptable to the Namibian market,” he said.
“We hope the Namibian private sector will come on board so more products can be sourced locally,” he said.