Headspring Investments addressing hunger and malnutrition in the Omaheke Region

Headspring Investments has heeded the call from the Governor of the Omaheke Region, Honourable Pijoo Nganate, to take hands with the government to alleviate hunger in the Omaheke Region. Honourable Pijoo Nganate, Governor of the Omaheke Region, stated: “We are the least populated region in the whole country and it is unacceptable that, with the abundant resources to our disposal, we still fail to feed our people in the Region”.

That is why the company handed over two vegetable gardens to the community of Leonardville.  The one garden is situated at Izak Buys Secondary School, while the second one is situated at Noasanabis Primary School.

“Although Headspring Investments is only in the exploration phase the company is executing its philosophy of assisting communities in which it operates”, said Kirill Egorov-Kirillov, Director of Headspring Investments.  “We have formed a partnership with Naoasanabis Primary school right from the beginning when we supplied the school with firewood to prepare meals for the children.  We then started a feeding scheme, constructed a modern kitchen for the school and is still providing for the children through a feeding scheme. We are very excited that we are now forming a partnership with Izak Buys Secondary School as well and we trusty that these two projects will create food security for the learners of the schools”, Kirill added.

Through these vegetable gardens the company wants to assist the schools to become self-sustainable in providing fresh produce to the learners.  Training will be provided to the learners to cultivate various crops by themselves and they will also learn the principles of production, marketing and procuring new seeds.  It is foreseen that the schools will produce enough vegetables to feed the learners, while the excess produce can be sold in order to buy new seeds.

Both the school principals explained that the vegetable gardens will have a positive impact on the education of the learners.  It often happens that children would leave during school to look for something to eat, but if the school is able to feed the learners, the learners stay for the whole day.

Kirill further explained that through the establishment of the gardens, it will be proven that the envisaged mine and various forms of farming can co-exist.  He reiterated that Rosatom, the mother company of Headspring Investments, is not in Namibia for short-term gains, but that the company should be given a fair chance to prove its long-term commitment to improved living conditions for all.