The Namibian - Lutherans give N$100 to the poor (News | Namibia)

http://www.namibian.com.na/indexx.php?id=3150&page_type=story_detail

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NEWS - NAMIBIA | 2013-09-03

Lutherans give N$100 to the poor

Clemans Miyanicwe www.weatherphotos.co.za Windhoek 12 27 9 22 15 33 8 22 2 30 5 29

GENEVA-BASED Department of World Service, which is a part of the World Lutheran Federation (WLF), will from this month give N$100 to each individual in the drought affected communities of Omusati, Kunene, Kavango and Hardap regions. Reverend Claudia Haarmann of Lutheran Communion in Southern Africa announced this yesterday at a media briefing where she also said the N$100 will benefit about 4 000 people in the four regions. The Namibian Tue 3 Sep 2013 Its not clear, however, how the donation will be distributed in the two Kavango regions - East and West - since the recipients list was compiled before the announcement of the Fourth Delimitation Commission which split the region into two. The cash handouts will be given to selected communities for four to six months, Haarmann said adding that those who are benefiting from government social schemes such as disability allowances, old age pension, orphans and vulnerable children as well as those earning taxable income will not be eligible for the funding. Haartmaan, however, said that children who stay with pensioners will be eligible for the money that will be distributed through NamPost. While Haarmann said registration is currently underway in the four regions, she refused to say where exactly this exercise is being done fearing that more people might move into those areas to claim the N$100. The N$100 is for communities to buy additional things to what they receive from government, said Haarmann. The leaders also pointed out that it was not another Basic Income Grant similar to the one they had at Otjivero settlement outside Windhoek. Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia (ELCRN) former Bishop Zephania Kameeta said that Lutheran World Federation heeded President Hifikepunye Pohambas call made through the declaration of the state of emergency because of drought and decided to do something about it. Kameeta said that a team from LWF was sent out to access the drought situation in the country after its president Martin Junke had contacted him saying that something needed to be done. Saying he did not support the idea of selling livestock because of drought, Kameeta explained: You sell your livestock now and to buy it back will be more expensive than what you would have sold it for. People are threatened by drought and these are our target areas. Bishop Erich Hertel of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church said it was time people do something as obliged by the church. Results so far:
19% 21% 54%

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Appeal to assist us, churches must stand together through thick and thin, Hertel pleaded. Reverend Tomas Ndawanapo of Evangelical Church in Angola said that three provinces in his country - Namibe, Cunene and Huila - were badly affected by drought. People and animals are dying and church together with government is trying its best but we need more help, Ndawanapo said adding that people were suffering in his country.

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2013/09/03 21:51

The Namibian - Lutherans give N$100 to the poor (News | Namibia)

http://www.namibian.com.na/indexx.php?id=3150&page_type=story_detail

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) Shekutaamba Nambala also said people must assist their neighbours. clemans@namibian.com.na

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So maybe? Some real poor folk will get something. Not just people with the right friends. - John Pett Thanks very much, that is good - ndapanda Dear Felix, I do not by your idea. If the people are in the crisis of hunger and you are empathetically thinking of their education than feeding them, it is like you found a car exident and start making your evaluations first before taking the enjured to the hospital. Everything has its own time. Now it is time to feed the hungry. Again, it is so problematic that whenever the "grants" are geared for the poor, the elite are insulting them for mismanagement and dependency syndrom. Who is not having that dependency syndrom in Namibia today? Grants are a Namibian policy today, and each mouth is always greedily open for any available "grant." It stretches all the way through from the bottomless abys of the veterans frants and other benefits, grants of legalized theft in our economic system, grants of housing and other benefits to our retiring head of states, the grant of a luxary house to Kenneth Kaunda, grants of land to the politically well-connected, grants of flawed dubious tendering and business opportunities, grants of consession rights in mining and fishing, fat salaries for poor or not delivered service - the list is endless. If a Good Samaritan wants to assist where they could, please do not insult the poor for a handfull grants. Namibia has large grants among the elite.. - Longeni Wish our government could also do that through BIG. - Kambwado gud samaritans will always be awarded - mummy Very good gesture in fact should be supported as national effort. I would however also encourage savings culture where Nampost can be encouraged to issue savings account and ensure instruction to save N$20 saved per N$100 given effectively only given them N$80 and saving N$20 per month. That way Namibians can learn to save and not only spend only! - Mihe Its a good thing to do, not only to seat back and fight against another. - mkarimbue There are interventions that taking care of teaching the communities how to handle their animals and crops. The good gesture from this institution is just another way of helping these communities. It will not make much impact if everyone coming to help communities is just teaching, teaching, teaching while communities are on empty stomach. - Tate Okwati Good Gesture but it does not teach the people how to handle their animals in future to avoid similar losses....teach them diversification and sustainable breeding practices instead of handing out cash and enhancing the dependency syndrome! - Felix I appreciate the involvement of the Lutheran Churches in Namibia in saving the Namibian people from the effect of drought. I hope other churches and other NGOs will follow suit. And please, note that the church is concerned and is willing to be part of the solution and not part of the problem as some people would want us believe. - Veikko Munyika

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