United Nations in Namibia

The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth's environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Namibia.

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16 September 2022

Face to face with death… ‘I learned that nothing is impossible’

GOBABIS - Thirty four year-old Erwin Meroro believed he would never get sick with Covid until he was hospitalised with the disease for over two months in the Gobabis State hospital. Meroro, the patient with the longest hospital admission for covid-19 at Gobabis State hospital narrowly escaped death. That experience changed his perspective on Covid-19 and life. “I had this belief that brandy (alcohol) would protect me against Covid. As I lay helpless in the hospital, I thought about my previous beliefs and attitude toward the disease and I was filled with regret. That’s when I learned that you should never say never because anything can happen in this world. Nothing is impossible,” he explains. When Meroro was discharged from the hospital, he got a label (sticker) for his car with the words: “nothing is impossible” to remind him of his battle with Covid. “I’ll be honest with you. I never fully adhered to Covid regulations. I can say that only about 40% of the time did I really take precautions to adhere to the regulations and that was mostly in places where these were strictly enforced,” he says. On that Wednesday morning, early in June of 2021, Meroro came down with the flu. “I also felt dizzy and very weak,” he explains. He chose to seek medical attention from a private doctor. “During that time we all had this belief that everyone who got sick with Covid was dying at the state hospital,” he related. When he saw that he was not getting better, Meroro lost all hope but decided he would go to the state hospital. “I could see I was not getting better so I told myself, I’m done with private doctors I will hand myself over to the state and see where the state will take me,” he narrated. Meroro’s condition had deteriorated so much that he had given up on living. “When the doctors gave me medicine to drink I just drank for the sake of it. I gave up…I threw in the towel. I knew God could come anytime,” he says. To this day, talking about his experience makes him emotional. “I thought I was a man. I thought I was strong but no,” he says. The presence of death in the hospital ward where he was admitted still haunts him, Meroro says. “I saw at least 21 people dying in front of me. Every four hours someone was gone,” he says. “That was hard and that is what made many people give up. We were surrounded by death. People were dying all around us and some of them appeared to be responding well to treatment. So, I was thinking to myself, if this guy who was doing better than me didn’t make it, that means I’m next,” he says, as he tries to smile. His eyes betrayed him as fought back tears. Meroro knew many of the people who died in the ward where he lay hopeless. “Some were aunties I knew very well. Others were chiefs and CEOs. I also lost my biological father and his brother to Covid during that period,” he says, considering himself lucky to have survived. “It was horrible…it was traumatic. I was bedridden with diapers and unable to respond to what people around me were saying,” he remembers. Through this trial, Meroro says he learned to value his health. “Some of us were fighting the information given without even experiencing the misinformation that was going on at the time for ourselves. My advice to people is ‘do what is best for you and do not make decisions based on someone else’s experiences,” he says. Today, Meroro is fully vaccinated. “I also took my boosters,” he said. Between June and August 2021, 270 people died of Covid-19 in Omaheke. The collaboration between the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Kingdom government which led to the deployment of the UK Emergency Medical Team (UK-EMT) to Namibia during the delta wave contributed to preventing more fatalities, says the WHO’s Country Representative, Dr Charles Sagoe-Moses. The UK-EMT was deployed to Namibia to surge capacity of the healthcare workforce, which was overwhelmed with the exponential number of cases that arose from the highly transmissible and virulent delta variant. The team also trained frontline healthcare workers on management of severe and critical cases of covid-19. “The magnitude of the pandemic was too much for any system to bear,” said Sagoe-Moses. In addition to technical support, the WHO also coordinated the United Nations and other partners in providing support to the Namibian government. The WHO repurposed its fund initially planned for other activities towards the Covid-19 pandemic. The covid pandemic also provided an opportunity to strengthen the Namibian health system, says Sagoe-Moses. The health system is now in a better position to respond efficiently to outbreaks as well as to detect diseases through surveillance. “Through this pandemic the health system has taken advantage to improve the availability of oxygen in most of the country’s hospitals. The hospitals also established isolation facilities and some malfunctioning equipment were repaired. We have better mechanisms now to quickly respond to any outbreak,” said Sagoe-Moses.

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A man standing in front of a white car pointing to a nothing is impossible sticker on the side of the car

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16 September 2022

FAO hands over new vehicles and computers to strengthen locust surveillance and early warning in Namibia

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has handed over two brand new vehicles and nine (9) desktop computers to strengthen Namibia’s locust surveillance and monitoring, and to inform response interventions. The equipment were purchased with funds from a regional project “African Migratory Locust Response to Mitigate Impacts on Food Security and Livelihoods” supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA). The project was implemented in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe – being the countries that were worst hit by the locusts.
Wave after wave of locusts The consecutive outbreaks of African Migratory Locust (AML), Red Locust and Brown Locust dating back from February 2020 to May/June 2022 destroyed crops and grazing, thereby impacting on the livelihoods of vulnerable communities in the north-eastern, north-central regions and the southern parts of Namibia. The communities had been affected by floods, drought and the impacts of COVID-19, and had barely recovered from shocks associated with these disasters. Since then, the country has been conducting control and early warning operations for existing and future locust outbreaks. “The support comes at the right time. Since 2020, we have embarked on extensive surveillance, monitoring and control of the African Migratory Locust and Brown Locust which is an expensive operation. The support from FAO has smoothened the operation, and we will now boost ground surveillance and control operations in order to contain the pest and safeguard food and nutrition security, and ultimately, the livelihood of the people,” Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata, Executive Director in the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, said. Timely intervention to protect lives
FAO has supported Namibia by providing training at national and community levels in effective locust monitoring including surveillance, mapping and reporting. Twenty-nine (29) government vehicles deployed to locust surveillance and monitoring operations in affected regions were serviced and repaired. "The support is aimed to protect food and nutrition security, and livelihoods of vulnerable people in locust-affected countries from locust damage in an environmentally and socially sustainable manner. I re-confirm FAO’s commitment to ensuring that the outbreak is kept to levels that do not threaten the food and security situation of the already vulnerable communities,” Farayi Zimudzi, FAO Representative to Namibia, said. Fifty-eight (58) technical staff and 384 farmers and youth have been trained and capacitated through this project which accelerated the momentum to win the battle with the locusts. Locust surveillance guided by technology
The introduction of the eLocust3m app to the fight against the locusts has facilitated the building of the capacities of agricultural extension officers, community level key informants and traditional leaders to effectively coordinate locust surveillance and reporting in their respective areas. Forty (40) Tablets and 56 smartphones were availed to MAWLR’s Plant Health Unit to enhance surveillance. Awareness campaigns for the locust control have been conducted among locust-affected communities, while requisite aerial, and ground monitoring, and surveillance and control operations have been undertaken. Additionally, national locust control coordination units have been strengthened and linked to community level structures.

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29 August 2022

Local Pilots Fly High With Popsicles

When the Namibian Government announced in February 2021 that it would liquidate the long-embattled national airline, Air Namibia, it left more than 600 employees with uncertain futures. Not letting this misfortune keep them down, former Air Namibia pilots Deryn Zehrt and Heino Jakob took the risk to start something new and completely out of their comfort zone – an ice popsicle business called “Jet Blast Ice Pops”, a nod to their previous career as pilots. The early days of Jet Blast Ice Pops started with Zehrt and Jakob learning how to make ice popsicles in a garage. The duo’s experimentation with popsicle formulations eventually produced the “real fruit” popsicles and “cocktails on a stick” or alcoholic “dopsicles” that the brand is becoming known for. “The learning curve was steep, but after attending our first market in November 2021, the business grew exponentially”, explains Jakob. From making their products themselves, Jakob and Zehrt built their business from the ground up by finding suppliers, marketing their products, engaging their customers in addition to other activities that are crucial to establishing a long-lasting business. Elevating the homemade popsicles of many Namibians childhoods as well as the artificial flavour-rich options found in local stores, Jet Blast Ice Pops sets itself apart with its “real fruit” ingredients and innovative flavour combinations that appeal to both young children and adults. Zehrt and Jakob exemplify how people have seen entrepreneurship as a route to job security and financial independence after experiencing job losses either directly or indirectly caused by the socio-economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the benefits of independence are not limited to the duo and their growing business. “Every dollar spent on Namibian companies helps our country to move towards independence from importing goods and it also helps in creating jobs. The importance and appreciation for local support cannot be over-emphasized”, says Jakob. For a business that was only established last year, Jet Blast Ice Pops have made remarkable headway in the local market. Their products are sold in a few supermarkets, they have catered various events, they regularly attend markets across the country and their growing clientele directly order boxes of ice pops from their new factory shop in Hyper Motor City, Windhoek. Despite this, Jet Blast Ice Pops still faces some challenges including recent fuel price increases and competing with larger foreign ice cream companies selling similar products for cheaper. Regardless of the short- and long-term obstacles, Jakob and Zehrt are determined to make their business into a household name and the preferred popsicle supplier in Namibia, which is something they are optimistic about given the quality of their products. The innovative duo also have plans to diversify what they offer and further expand their product range. When asked why he thought buying Namibian products is important, Jakob explained that buying local is pivotal to cutting out competition from neighboring countries, especially South Africa. “In general it adds value to the Namibian economy. It also brings us as a nation together, making us proud of what we can achieve and produce. Through such growth we will realize we do not have to be dependent on traditional suppliers from neighboring countries”, added Jakob. Find out more about Jet Blast Ice Pops on Facebook, Instagram or via email at info@jetblastnam.com “This feature is part of a UN Namibia series to highlight local goods or service providers in support of the Buy Local Grow Namibia campaign and who we believe are actively working toward the sustainable development goals (SDGs). The Buy Local, Grow Namibia campaign supports growth in the production and consumption of Namibian goods and services.”

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09 August 2022

Black Sea Grain Initiative FAQ

What is the Black Sea Grain Initiative?
The Black Sea Grain Initiative was launched in Istanbul by the Russian Federation, Türkiye, Ukraine and United Nations on 22 July 2022. Through this initiative, a mechanism was established for the safe transportation of grain, related foodstuffs and fertilizer, including ammonia, from designated Ukrainian ports to global markets.
The purpose of the Initiative is to contribute to the prevention of global hunger, to reduce and address global food insecurity, and to ensure the safety of merchant ships delivering grain and foodstuffs. To facilitate the implementation of their Initiative, a Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) was set up in Istanbul on 27 July 2022, under the auspices of the United Nations, comprised of senior representatives of Türkiye, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, and the United Nations.
How much grain do you anticipate will reach world markets?
The initial agreement runs for 120 days starting from 22 July. When the Initiative is fully up and running we estimate the export capacity of the three ports covered by the agreement could reach well over 2 million metric tons, up to 5 million per month.
Does the food reach hunger-affected regions of the world?
Crops from Ukraine are sold around the world. Some of the food exported under the Initiative will go to countries experiencing food insecurity. Any shipment purchased by the World Food Programme will go directly to people in need. Exports to any country, however, can help to calm markets and limit food price inflation.
What is the role of the Joint Coordination Centre?
The Joint Coordination Centre’s responsibility is to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels carrying grain, foodstuffs and fertilizers, including ammonia, in and out of three Ukrainian ports - Odesa, Chornomorsk and Yuzhny (Pivdennyi).
The JCC will monitor the movement of commercial vessels to ensure compliance with the procedures communicated to the vessels. The JCC is also responsible for inspections of inbound and outbound vessels to ensure that there is not unauthorized cargo or crew. The JCC will also publicly report on shipments and movements of ships facilitated under the Initiative.
How is inspection carried out?
A joint inspection team from Türkiye, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, and the United Nations conducts inspections on behalf of the Joint Coordination Centre on board the vessel to check that cargo and crew is consistent with information that the JCC received and in line with the Initiative.
Will the JCC facilitate the movement of ships carrying other commodities?
The JCC only focuses on the export of food coming from Ukraine from the three Ukrainian ports. It does not facilitate exports of non-food items not included in the Initiative. Who is in the Joint Coordination Centre?
The Joint Coordination Centre is based in Istanbul and it consists of senior representatives from Türkiye, Russia, Ukraine and the United Nations. Türkiye is the host of the JCC and facilitates along with the UN discussions in the JCC. The UN serves as secretariat.
How does the humanitarian maritime corridor operate?
The Joint Coordination Centre has agreed to a route through the Black Sea that receives the protections of the Initiative. The maritime humanitarian corridor is 111 nautical miles long and 3 nautical miles wide. Vessels authorised to move in the corridor by the JCC are required to remain in the corridor or in defined holding areas off the Ukrainian and Turkish coastlines.
Shipping will be monitored by the JCC using terrestrial and satellite means. Through public navigational announcements, other shipping in the area have been informed of the establishment of the maritime humanitarian corridor.
Who decides on movements of vessels?
The shipping companies decide on the movement of their vessels based on commercial activity and procedures. The Joint Coordination Centre in Istanbul authorizes the movement of vessels in and out of the Black Sea based on the requests it receives from the Ukrainian port authorities.
Who is protecting the commercial vessels moving in/out of the Black Sea?
The JCC shipping procedures will include the security arrangements for the safe passage of commercial vessels and other civilian vessels engaged in the initiative, including for emergency and medical response. The JCC is responsible for monitoring and tracking the vessel’s route from the three Ukrainian ports to Istanbul anchorage area and back and is responsible to address any incidents that may occur.
How does insurance work?
This is a matter for the shipping company to arrange. The JCC does not inspect or evaluate ships for compliance with international regulatory obligations, including the requirements for insurance under various international treaties. The JCC is only tasked with confirming the absence of prohibited cargoes or persons aboard vessels transiting the maritime humanitarian corridor.
Is there a fee for the facilitation of the JCC monitoring arrangements?
There is no fee incurred to the shipping companies for the facilitation of their movements under the purview of the JCC.

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30 September 2022

First Buy Local Grow Namibia Fair reignites support for local entrepreneurs

WINDHOEK - At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic business closures, job losses and pay cuts signified the beginnings of an economic downturn Namibians are still reeling from today. However, Namibians are known for their resilience and nowhere was this more visible than the first Buy Local Grow Namibia Fair held at the Franco-Namibia Cultural Centre on 24 September 2022. Curated by the Buy Local Grow Namibia campaign in collaboration with the FNCC and the Local Merchant, the fair was a vibrant family-oriented event encouraging the public to buy local, support Namibian entrepreneurs and appreciate the rich culture of the country by doing their part in uplifting the local economy. “These types of fairs are important to the local entrepreneurs because they push sales for the exhibitors, and gives them exposure. Most importantly, they help educate the nation on the importance of supporting locally manufactured products", said Rousa Shikoha, Local Merchant co-founder. “This way we keep money within the country and provide opportunities for job creation” - Rousa Shikoha. Since its launch in October 2020, partners of the multi-stakeholder ‘Buy Local, Grow Namibia’ campaign believe that consistent awareness as well as intentional investment in our local goods and services is the most significant way towards achieving economic self-sufficiency in Namibia. Honourable Lucia Iipumbu, the Minister of Industrialisation and Trade along with Sen Pang, Resident Coordinator for the UN System in Namibia officially opened the Buy Local Grow Namibia Fair, joining counterparts from the Diplomatic and Business Community in visiting the various stalls offering proudly Namibian products. “I thank all the partners for coming together to put on such an important event. It is heartwarming that in a time that we face many challenges that you all have answered the call to start at home and build back better by supporting our local entrepreneurs, said Sen Pang, UN Resident Coordinator. The Buy Local Grow Namibia Fair featured 46 exhibitors from local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in industries spanning health, food, cosmetics, technology, arts, fashion and home decor amongst others during the all-day market. “We struggle with finding an outlet that is accessible to the public at low cost so our main reasons for attending were to boost sales raise awareness and network with potential clients and service providers”, said Busi Sibanda from the Centre for Research, Information, Action in Africa (CRIAA). Those who showed up to the first Buy Local Grow Namibia Fair were treated to a variety of local food, drinks and entertainment for young and old. Live musical performances from The Ells, The Yesterday, The SA Brass Band and Sagarias Tsam electrified the crowd throughout the day as everyone reveled in what Namibians from various industries had to offer. “I think it is important for local entrepreneurs to see themselves win. It made us feel worthy, people were so receptive, and no one was criticizing our products. The public were just ready to support local" - Vicky Meg "The fair validated our zest for what we do, and it has really pushed us to dare to dream bigger, we want to grow more, we want to push our business further", said Vicky Meg from Vicky’s Cravings. An exclusive showing of six local films from the ‘Kino Namibia Film Festival 2022’, a film hub project under the umbrella of the Namibia Film Commission in partnership with the UNDP Accelerator Lab Namibia, rounded off the day’s activities. Kino Namibia is a youth film project that was started in 2017 which aims to develop film production skills and create a networking platform for young upcoming likeminded creatives. The films shown at the fair were themed around seven (7) of the seventeen (17) Agenda 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Buy Local Grow Namibia campaign is led by the following partners who are united in their vision to promote the Ministry of Trade and Industralisation’s Growth at Home strategy, the SDGs and to find innovative solutions to achieve Vision 2030. The partners are UN Namibia, Namibia Trade Forum, Team Namibia, The Namibian Newspaper and O&L BrandX.

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27 September 2022

Hear the Voices Live from the Field: Youth Employment for Rural Transformation

The most powerful way to amplify somebody’s voice is to let them speak for themselves. These stories are live from the field, written in the words of the beneficiaries. Meet Jebbes: Tsumkwe Project Coordinator My name is Gerhard Jebbes a project coordinator for the Tsumkwe Community-based integrated food systems project. The project started on 18 July 2021. The idea of the project was to help sick and malnourished patients at the community clinic to have access to free food so they can take their medicine. And for other community members to come and shop instead of driving far to the closest town Grootfontein (298KM) to buy fruits and vegetables specifically onions, beetroot, cabbage, spinach, and eggs. The project has been a hope for creating employment opportunities for young people. As the project coordinator, I have 6 youthful boys working on the project. Three (3) garden boys are planting and watering, one (1) boy is managing the chicken coup and I have two (2) volunteers who are unpaid. The two volunteers I am fighting for them to get paid. I am doing all I can. Talking to everyone I know especially the director and the agricultural technical adviser. The boys come to work every single day from 8 am to 5 pm. We give them food from the leftovers of the food cooked for the patients in the Tsumkwe clinic if they don’t have anything, but they need to also get paid. There has also been a positive ripple effect in the community. We donated the leftover seeds of cabbage, spinach, and carrots after the last harvest to the community members and gave them instructions on planting. We estimate that there have been 4 to 5 backyard gardens started because of this initiative. As the time passes and the project grows, I hope we can supply the whole of Tsumkwe and benefit a lot more people and bring more jobs for increasing youth employment rates. I am going to fight for this project not to die and to bring more examples of youth who transformed their community with their bare hands. Sometimes I get angry and annoyed, and I want to give up. But my team tells me ‘’no’’. They tell me ‘’let’s continue working together; if you give up then what about us? This project must change lives and bring lots of youth work opportunities. If this project reaches its full potential, it is estimated that 400-500 jobs will be created. So, I will keep fighting on my part, and I will keep praying to God. Meet Kudo: Tsumkwe Chicken Coup Manager My name is Kudo. I just completed Grade 12. I was brought into the project by Jebbes, the project coordinator. I took a class on agriculture in school and my dream was to work with chicken. I told Jebbes if there is a place on your project please remember me, and when there was a place, he remembered. During the first phase of the project 10 people were trained on the project as volunteers and I was one of them. The aim of the project is not to keep people working as volunteers. But it was a start. I learned how to work and more specifically how to deal with chicken. "Volunteering is so hard. If you are volunteering and you do not have heart or if you have a short heart, you might quit or you might steal money, but I had the heart. I couldn’t even go to sleep if I knew the chicken were starving. I sacrificed my income because if I didn’t the chicken would not have someone to take care of them and they would not have food." - Kudo We were two volunteers assigned to the chicken coup. So, to make ends meet we used to alternate. I used to volunteer 2 weeks a month, and he volunteered the other 2 weeks. During the weeks when I wasn’t volunteering, I would hustle for some tenders such as plumbing to pay for my accommodation and water and electric bills. It did not feel good not getting paid. Do you know how it feels when others are being paid and you are not? When your neighbour has something, and you do not? Even with some of my co-workers getting paid and me being a volunteer, I advised them to save a portion of their money and to have a little business such as selling sweets to make it to the end of the month. Because even if you get paid a small income at the end of the month you might starve if you don’t have another source of money. I got my first salary after volunteering for 6 months. I make N$1500 a month (US$ 86) now but my aim is to make this project bigger and grow within the project. In Tsumkwe we never used to have such projects. People used to suffer to buy vegetables and eggs from the nearest town Grootfontein and now our demand is exceeding our supply especially for the eggs. I love working to take care of the chicken. With time my dream is that this project benefits a lot of people like me through employing them. I also dream that Tsumkwe has a large market for eggs where people can buy.

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27 September 2022

Tsumkwe Project Breaking Grounds on Integrated Food Systems through Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration Model

On Thursday, 1st September 2022, WFP in partnership with the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation, the Embassy of Brazil, the African Group of Ambassadors, and the Otjozondupa Regional and local government conducted a monitoring visit for the Tsumkwe Community Based Integrated Food Systems Project in Otjozondupa Region. The visit was graced by Honorable Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation. The USD 30,000 (NAD 519,000) project was established in August 2021 with funding from the African Group of Ambassadors in partnership with Standard Bank Namibia USD 9600 (NAD 146,000) and the Embassy of the Federative Republic of Brazil USD 20,000 (NAD 346,000). This project is aimed to improve socio-economic outcomes and increase local food production in addition to curbing the prevalence of malnutrition and stunting in Tsumkwe. The San community required support for resilience building and livelihood restoration of which the Integrated Food Systems Project has been successfully implementing through a two hectares portion of land producing spinach, beetroot, cabbage, green pepper, and onion. To complement the effort of WFP as the lead implementing partner and support the United Nation’s shared vision to ‘deliver as one’, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Namibia contributed USD 2,000 (NAD 34,290) to the project through the construction of a poultry house (chicken coup) which initially housed 98-layer chickens. Ten (10) youth were trained in poultry production by FAO. To date, WFP’s additional investment has expanded the chicken coup to a capacity of over 500-layer chicken thereby enhancing diversified nutrient intake amongst the communities. With a production rate of 500 eggs per day, the demand for eggs has similarly increased amongst the population of Tsumkwe. To date the revenue of sales from the garden is NAD 13,740 per month with the majority of the profit coming from the sale of the eggs (NAD 12,000), spinach (NAD 990), cabbage (NAD 450), and green pepper (NAD 300). The Tsumkwe Clinic acquires fresh produce from the food systems project towards its soup kitchen as support to 45 Tuberculosis (TB) patients and pregnant and lactating women. To upscale production, 65 hectares of land has been earmarked to upscale activities under phase 2 of the project such as diary and flower production for export and other high value crops and industrial activities for employment creation and commercial enterprise. "The project not only guarantees food security but also addresses issues of employment by positioning youth at the forefront of agriculture food production because unemployment in Tsumkwe is one of the highest due to the long distance (290km) from the main town." - Honourable Hausiku Johannes, Tsumkwe Constituency Councillor Thanks to the project, five youth have been employed with a monthly salary each of NAD 1,500. Three boys are assigned to gardening and watering the plants while two boys are assigned to the chicken coup. There are also two volunteers who are currently unpaid, however efforts are being made to secure financial resources for their salaries. All the project successes have created a positive spirit of hard work and collaboration in Tsumkwe in the vision of every house being able to feed itself. After the first harvest, the project coordinator donated the leftover seeds to households and provided instructions on backyard gardening. To date, five backyard gardens have been set up that now have cabbage, spinach, and carrots. "Food security is a pillar to human security and human dignity. This project is a milestone to achieving food security. If the project reaches its full potential, it is expected to employ 400 to 500 people." - Honourable Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah The project is a positive example of multiple stakeholder collaboration for the convergence of WFPs three pillar approach to saving lives and changing lives through food systems, rural transformation and human capital development. The next monitoring visit on the project and progress status has been scheduled for February 2023. The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. For more information, please contact: Luise Shikongo Luise.shikongo@wfp.org Rawan Taha rawan.taha@wfp.org

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16 September 2022

FAO capacitates Namibia’s lawmakers on land tenure governance

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) conducted a two-day training session for a select group of Members of Parliament (MPs) in the National Assembly (NA) and government officials on the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (VGGT). Facilitated by land governance and tenure experts from FAO, the VGGT training was hosted under the theme “Responsible Governance of Land and Natural Resources for Food Security and Nutrition” and incorporated training on the African Union Declaration on Land Issues and Challenges and its Framework and Guidelines on Land Policy in Africa (F&G).
Tenure for food security
During the opening session of the training, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Professor Peter Katjavivi, whose remarks were delivered on his behalf by Honourable Agnes Kafula, highlighted the crucial role that the VGGT play in providing guidance to developing countries such as Namibia to improve the governance of tenure of land, fisheries and forests with the overarching goal of achieving food security and socio-economic development. “Rural areas need to produce more to feed the growing urban population, especially in the face of climate change. It is for these reasons that our Second National Land Conference adopted resolutions to address rural and urban land reform challenges that emanate especially from our colonial past.” In addressing these challenges, good land tenure governance is an essential element for the attainment of food security for all therefore the VGGT is of critical importance to Namibia as we chart our path whilst implementing our land reform programme,” he stressed. The Speaker also noted that the training provides MPs with an opportunity to help develop their capacity to deliver on their legislative, budgetary and oversight roles that will be critical in ensuring the successful implementation of the 2018 Conference resolutions in accordance with international and regional standards for governance of tenure enshrined in the VGGT and F&G on Land Policy in Africa. In the same vein, the Assistant FAO Representative in Namibia and Officer in Charge, Ferdinand Mwapopi, echoed the speaker’s sentiments and reiterated FAO’s role in promoting responsible governance of tenure with respect to all forms of tenure including public, private, communal, indigenous, customary, and informal. “The governance of tenure is a crucial element in determining if and how people, communities and others are able to acquire rights, and associated duties, to use and control land, fisheries and forests... FAO stands ready to support Namibia’s Government in mainstreaming the VGGTs into policy, legal and institutional processes as contained in our current Country Programming Framework,” said Mwapopi. Building capacity
Also speaking at the same training, Petrus Nangolo, the Acting Deputy Executive Director in the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MAWLR) noted that the VGGT training is important to build lawmakers capacity to address issues related to governance of land tenure. ”As our democracy is maturing, several issues such as land governance become challenging with loopholes being identified and different ideas emerging on how land should have been administered properly, it is therefore very important that our lawmakers are capacitated to ensure that these issues are effectively addressed through the rule of law,” he stated. The VGGT training of parliamentarians, the second of its kind facilitated in Namibia by FAO, primarily aimed to develop the capacity of newly appointed parliamentarians to deliver on their mandate for the responsible governance of tenure by creating an enabling environment to work towards the overall achievement of food security, improved nutrition, and the realization of the right to adequate food. The training also aimed to create awareness among lawmakers and technical officials on key VGGT and F&G principles to be considered when land tenure governance laws, policies and strategies are developed or reviewed during the implementation phase of the Second National Land Conference Resolutions. In total 29 participants, made up mostly of MPs from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources, Government officials from MAWLR and officials from FAO, received training on key themes such as promoting access to and ownership of productive resources through VGGT and F&G, governance of tenure for sustainable management of natural resources and food and nutrition security, responsible investment in land, and legislating for the responsible governance of tenure. The VGGT training is aligned with FAO Namibia’s Country Programming Framework (CPF) of 2019 – 2023 under Government Priority 3: Strengthened Capacity for Natural Resource Management and Land Governance.

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27 September 2022

WFP cash supports farmers grappling with weather extremes

by Luise Shikongo Retired cattle auctioneer Kavanga Ngombe, 81, has seen his harvests shrink over the past five years, as his home region of Kunene in northwestern Namibia has swung between weather extremes of drought, followed by floods. “We had stored grain from the good harvest years, but it is all depleted now,” says Kavanga, a father of seven. “I do not know where my family’s next meal will come from.” Kunene counts among 14 regions in Namibia prone to floods, droughts and wildfires that have intensified in recent years — decimating crops and livestock and increasing hunger in a country highly dependent on imports and only producing about 40 percent of the food it consumes. But today, the most vulnerable like Kavanga are getting a lifeline—World Food Programme (WFP) cash transfers that allow them to buy food and other essentials during the hardest times between harvests. Targeting 6,900 vulnerable families and supported by the European Union, the initiative delivers the local equivalent of US$40 over three months, tapping a local mobile service provider to disburse the funds. The cash transfers, which began last year, use biometric verification to ensure the money ends up in the right hands. The funds are being distributed in Kunene, along with two other northern regions, Ohangwena and Omusati, where temperatures soar to around 35°C for nearly eight months a year and rainfall is scarce. The land in these regions is often dry and cracked, making agriculture challenging. “With the cash I received, I bought food for my family and medication for treatment of my constant joint pains,” says Kavanga. Rain at the beginning of this year gave Kavanga and his family hope. They swiftly planted a variety of seeds including millet, beans, watermelon and pumpkin. However, their crops were doomed as the rains became heavier, washing away the seedlings and portions of his land. “If it was not for this assistance, I would not have the necessary food for my medication to be effective,” he says of the WFP cash, “and I would have to sell one of my goats for money for my family’s needs.” The cash transfers have strengthened the local economy while supporting families to buy a variety of foods, some of which are grown locally, resulting in more diverse diets. “Cash-Based Transfers (CBT) put money directly in the hands of the poorest households so they can afford better nutrition and essentials for their children and family.” George Fedha, WFP’s Country Director in Namibia WFP’s support is even more essential as climate change gathers force — in a country that is already one of the driest in sub-Saharan Africa, with persistent droughts, erratic rainfall and water scarcity. Experts predict over the coming five decades that Namibia’s climate is predicted to become hotter and drier, with greater variability in rainfall. For 39-year-old farmer Kasesa Tjiruviri, a mother of six, WFP’s cash support has also helped her weather tough times. “This year, we planted seeds but like the rest of the farmers in this village we were unable to harvest any produce due to the floods,” Kasesa says. “We planted again after the water subsided, but our crops got stunted with the onset of winter.” During the summer, her family earns money from selling firewood, earning less than US$7 on a good day—just enough to buy the cornflour, oil and sugar to prepare a meal for the family. “Most of my clients are about 70 km from my village and sometimes I sell enough to pay for my transport. However, in most cases I have to walk to get to them,” she says. “I am grateful for the cash support,” she adds of WFP’s assistance, which she used to buy food and blankets for her children, while putting some aside as savings. With the money, Kasesa says, “I feel empowered to start another business which can sustain my family.”

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Press Release

22 August 2022

Connected African Girls Coding Camp Brings ICT skills to Namibian girls

The coding camp is commissioned by ECA (United Nations Economic Commission for Africa) in partnership with the government of The Republic of Namibia (MICT), UN Namibia, UN WOMEN, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and Telecom Namibia. The hybrid training brings together African women and girls between 12 to 25 years of age, with 100 from Namibia physically attending while hundreds more join virtually from around the African continent. The coding camp runs from 16 - 24 August 2022 and is hosted at the Windhoek Palm Hotel. “The Government of the Republic of Namibia continues to support projects like the Connected African Girls Coding Camp as they directly benefit and uplift our citizens. The Government through the Ministry of ICT is committed to implementing effective legislation that provides easy access to ICTS with the aim of creating a knowledge-based society. Over the years, the Government has made significant strides to integrate digital technology with the national development objectives,” says Hon. Dr. Peya Mushelenga, Minister of Information and Communication Technology during his keynote address during the official opening. “In our endeavors to ‘leave no one behind’ to harness ICTs in education will go a long way in contributing to achieving Goal 17 of Agenda 2063’s aspiration 6 which seeks to eliminate all barriers to quality education, health and social services for women and girls on the African continent,” says Sen Pang, UN Resident Coordinator, UN Namibia. The African Connected Girls initiative aims to narrow the digital gap by empowering young African women and girls with the necessary foundational building-block skills to find long-term success in education, employment, and entrepreneurship, while creating a conducive environment for collaborative efforts. The Namibian Connected African Girls Coding camp features four main workshops on animation, web development & gaming, IoT & robotics, and 3D printing. Graphic design is included as a common course in line with artificial intelligence, design thinking, and computational thinking. This camp will also feature master classes on Gender-Based Violence, UN SDGs, and Agenda 2063 including personal development skills. “To prepare our young women to lead the fourth industrial revolution, we must champion initiatives such as the Connected African Girl initiative. Coding has become the new literacy! Girls and young Namibian women need to become digitally savvy and active participants in shaping Namibia's digital future,” says Jean Paul Adam, Director, Technology, Climate Change and Natural resources Division, UNECA. On the final day of the camp, an innovation fair will be held enabling the girls to showcase their projects developed during the coding camp by targeting solution-oriented ideas in response to the continent’s socio-economic challenges. In the last four editions of the coding camp, trainees
have developed 198 innovative projects, of which 40 were recognized for their contributions to the community. Some attendees from the Connected African Girls Coding Camp shared what they hoped to achieve with this initiative: "I want to learn more skills to train others and start up computer classes at our school. I would like to learn more about ethical hacking." - Ndapandula Hango, Grootfontein, Grade 10 "People are using technology more in this modern age, children must learn to use technology. I use technology for research and play games. I really want to learn to create my own games." - Caren Sue Kahmann, Hardap Region, Grade 9. "I am obsessed with gaming. I want to gain more skills on how to design games and code. I am here for the skills that I can learn." - Theresia Ndilimeke, Grade 10 Khomas Region "My younger brother introduced me to coding initially. In grade 10 I realised how important it is in relation to my subjects. I am very interested to learn how to use my subjects ( in the workshop) in a way that will help me develop new ways of entrepreneurship and help me improve the living standards in rural areas. - Latoya Bernard, Otjikoto Region, Grade 12

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Press Release

04 August 2022

World leaders are failing us on education, say young people

Today’s education systems are failing a generation of young people and leaving them unprepared for the future, according to a global poll of 10,000 young people. In rich and poor countries alike, a lack of support for teachers, outdated curriculum and a lack of digital connectivity are just some of the reasons leaving students without the skills to navigate today’s fast-changing world, the poll across 10 countries found. The results reflect what experts are calling "a crisis of equity, quality and relevance" in global education. The poll paints an alarming picture of the state of education all over the world. Nearly four out of five (77%) young people are “worried” about the prospect of poor education leaving millions of children without basic reading or writing skills by 2030. 69% say world leaders are not doing enough to ensure all children receive a quality education, while 88% think world leaders need to take urgent action to fund education. Commissioned by the global children’s charity Theirworld, it comes a month before world leaders meet at the Transforming Education Summit at the United Nations in New York to make crucial decisions about children’s education. Gordon Brown, the United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education, describes the historic summit as “global education’s COP26 moment – a last chance for action to avert an education catastrophe”. World leaders will decide what action needs to be taken to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 of “inclusive and quality education for all” children by 2030 - but campaigners warn that education around the world has become “a privilege, not a right”. Even before the pandemic, 260 million children were not in school, most of them girls. Covid-19 has deepened the crisis. Today, it is estimated that 70% of 10-year-olds in low- and middle-income countries are unable to understand a simple written text. By 2030, experts predict that 825 million children – more than half the world’s children - will leave the classroom without even the most basic qualifications they need to get a job. Nearly half of the young people surveyed who said they were disappointed with their education did not feel equipped for the future (43%); a third of those young people (33%) felt they were not learning or did not learn useful skills; and more than a quarter (27%) of students did not feel valued. António Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General, said: “Across the globe, education is in crisis. This is a slow burning and often unseen crisis, but it has profound consequences for individuals, societies, and our collective future. Reeling from the disruption caused by the pandemic, hundreds of millions of children and young people are still out of school. “Many of those who are in school are not learning the basic skills they need, as citizens and participants in society. Many more are questioning the relevance of their education systems and curricula for today’s world.” Despite the crisis in global education, three quarters (76%) of young people remain optimistic for the future, with more than four in five (83%) believing that youth can change the world through campaigning and making their voice heard. That is why today (August 1), Theirworld and education campaigners around the world are launching a new campaign to mobilise young people all to call on world leaders to put in place the plans and finance required to provide a quality education for every child, no matter who they are or where they are born. The #LetMeLearn campaign – backed by the United Nations Secretary-General – is calling for the experiences and voices of young people to be heard by leaders so that the right decisions are made to transform education for every child, not just the few. Gordon Brown, the United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education, said: "I have been listening to young people and they have one single message: Let Me Learn. It is it time that we take this seriously and bring their message to the halls of the United Nations and say to one another that we can be the first generation in history where every child goes to school. “This historic Summit is global education’s COP26 moment – a last chance for action to avert an education catastrophe”. Justin van Fleet, President of Theirworld, said: “The decisions world leaders make at the Transforming Education Summit will affect the lives of hundreds of millions of children around the world and reverberate through every community on the planet. “Global education is facing a crisis of equity, quality and relevance. Currently, education is a privilege, not a right, and denied to children based on factors beyond their control at birth. It’s time for world leaders to listen to young people and take action today. Time is running out and inaction is not an option.” Nhial Deng, 23, was born in Ethiopia where his father settled after fleeing the first Sudanese civil war more than five decades ago. In 2010 his village in Ethiopia was attacked by an armed militia and he fled to Kenya where he spent 11 years in the Kakuma refugee camp. Last August, he moved to Canada after securing a four-year scholarship to pursue a bachelor's degree in global studies and digital communications at Huron University College. He said: “When I fled my home 11 years ago, the first thing that came to my mind after arriving in the Kakuma refugee camp was school. I knew that school was the only way where I could make my childhood dream of becoming a journalist a reality. “Although I was traumatized by the brutal images of war I witnessed while fleeing my country, the school gave me a safe space where I could heal from my trauma and think about a glowing future again.” -Ends- Notes to Editors For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact: Nicole Martin Head of Media and Partnerships Communications nicole@theirworld.org Jacob Moreton Media Relations Officer jacob@theirworld.org About Theirworld Theirworld is a global children's charity committed to ending the global education crisis and unleashing the potential of the next generation. The organisation aims to ensure that every child has access to the best start in life, a safe place to learn and skills for the future. In 2022, Theirworld celebrates its 20th year of unlocking big change for children around the world. About the survey Hall & Partners worked in partnership with Theirworld to run two separate online surveys: An online survey amongst 10,237 16–30-year-olds who achieved either secondary or primary level education. Fieldwork was conducted through Dynata panels and took place from 23rd June to 26th July 2022. 1,000+ 16–30-year-olds were spoken to in each of the following markets: UK, USA, Germany, France, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Kenya, Nicaragua, Honduras An online survey amongst 629 young people from Theirworld's Global Youth Ambassador network, including 522 Global Youth Ambassadors. Fieldwork took place from 10th June to 15th July 2022. Hall & Partners also worked with Theirworld to develop a questionnaire for young people not in education. Theirworld’s not for profit partners distributed the survey and collected responses. The survey tables are accessible on the following link: https://theirworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/LML-survey-table.pdf

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Press Release

05 July 2022

Amidst global crises, UN High-Level Forum ready to advance action on Sustainable Development Goals

Amidst a world challenged by geopolitical tensions, a persistent COVID-19 pandemic, a burgeoning climate crisis and rising poverty, world leaders are coming together at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) from today to 15 July to chart the best way forward to bring  the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) back on track.

The eight-day Forum convened under the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) takes place as multiple crises around the world are putting the very viability of achieving the SDGs by 2030 at risk. The poorest and most vulnerable are being hit the hardest. An urgent rescue effort and collective actions are needed to rapidly change course and set the world on track towards a sustainable future, guided by a renewed commitment to multilateralism and international cooperation.

“We are facing continued vaccine inequity, rising inflation, major supply-chain disruptions, and crippling geopolitical uncertainties,” said United Nations Economic and Social Council President Collen Vixen Kelapile. “We are on a dangerous path to harming future generations, if we do not act now. It is within our power to turn the tide.”
Acting now critical to secure the global goals
Thousands of participants, including Heads of State, over 100 ministers, and leaders and representatives of the UN system, business and civil society will convene in person to respond to the impacts of the lingering pandemic and war in Ukarine, including  global economic inflation, rising inequalities and closely interrelate crises in food security, energy supplies and finance. Member states will discuss what action to take to build back better to secure accelerated implementation of the 2030 Agenda during the Decade of Action for sustainable development.

This year, the Forum will review in depth Goal 4 on education, Goal 5 on gender equality, Goal 14 on life below water and Goal 15 on life on land as well as Goal 17 on partnerships for the Goals, which is considered each year.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, in his remarks at the recent second briefing by the Global Crisis Response Group, stressed that “we need to make resources available immediately to help the poorest countries and communities.” He called on the global financial system to recognize the opportunities in new technology and renewable energy and to “rise above its shortcomings and use all the instruments at its disposal, with flexibility and understanding, to provide support to vulnerable countries and people.”

The HLPF will demonstrate the continuing commitment of the international community to step up international solidarity and to launch ambitious recovery policies that advance the SDGs. Both are indispensable in tackling  conflicts around the world.

“The urgent need for international solidarity and multilateral cooperation cannot be stressed enough,” said UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs LIU Zhenmin. “We need to act swiftly to drive transformative change. We must remain committed to the people-centered and planet focused path to prosperity that we set out in the 2030 Agenda. This can only happen if we all act together.”
44 countries to assess their progress
This year, 44 countries, both developed and developing, will present their Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) of national implementation of the SDGs.

The VNR countries are: Andorra, Argentina, Belarus, Botswana, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, El Salvador, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malawi, Mali, Montenegro, The Netherlands, Pakistan, The Philippines, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Switzerland, Togo, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates and Uruguay.

The Forum will also mark  the official launch of The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2022 (7 July). This annual progress report provides a global overview of progress towards the SDGs based on the most recent data. The 2022 report is expected to demonstrate the devastating impacts of the multiple and interlinked global crises – the COVID-19 pandemic, the climate crisis and the conflicts in Ukraine and elsewhere –  across the SDGs.

The Forum will culminate in the adoption of a ministerial declaration. It will also kick off preparations for the Sustainable Development Goals Summit to be held in 2023.

Special events on transformative solutions
A series of special events will be organized in conjunction with the HLPF, in collaboration with various partners. The special events aim to mobilize stakeholders most engaged or impacted by the implementation of the SDGs.
SDGs Learning, Training and Practice Workshops
(In person: Tuesday 5 July 11:00-13:00 EDT,
Virtual: 5,6,7,11, and 12 July, 8:30-10:15, 14:00-15:45 EDT)
Higher Education Sustainability Initiative HESI+10 Global Forum
(Virtual, 6 July, 7:00-8:30 AM EDT)
The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World
(In-person: Tuesday 6 July, 10:00-13:00 EDT)
Local and Regional Governments Forum
(Virtual: Thursday 7 July, 8:00-10:30 EDT;
In-person: Tuesday 12 July, 15:00-18:00 EDT)
SDG 6 Special Event
(Virtual, Wednesday 13 July, 8:30-10:00 EDT)
Chief Sustainability Officers for SDGs
(Virtual, Wednesday 13 July, 9:00-10:30 EDT)
Parliamentary Forum
(In-person, Wednesday 13 July, 10:00-13:00)

In addition, approximately 350 side events featuring States, the UN system and civil society will take place during the HLPF. At the same time, more than 15 VNR Labs will provide an informal platform for experience sharing and reflection on the Voluntary National Review process.
About the High-Level Political Forum:
The High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development is the central global forum for providing political leadership, guidance and recommendations on implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which were unanimously adopted by world leaders in September 2015. The Forum provides an opportunity for countries, civil society and businesses to highlight the efforts they are taking to achieve the SDGs and to engage in mutual learning through the exchange of ideas and best practices.

For more information: https://hlpf.un.org/2022
Follow live via UN Web TV: https://media.un.org/en/webtv/
Media contacts:
UN Department of Global Communications
Francyne Harrigan, M: +1 (917) 367-5414 | E: harriganf@un.org
Sharon Birch, T: +1 (212) 963-0564 | E: birchs@un.org

UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Paul Simon, T: +1 (917) 367-5027 | E: simonp@un.org
Helen Rosengren, T: +1 (212) 963-9492 | E: rosengrenh@un.org

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