Tsumkwe west: Losing both parents at a young age can often affect a child's well-being, hindering their educational performance. Those without anyone to rely on seek alternative means of survival, such as engaging in child labour, as they navigate difficult circumstances. This is frequently the case for many marginalised families, as most orphans without guardians tend to endure immense hardships.
According to Namibia Press Agency, the 29-year-old Ndara Joseph Ndemuyimba from the !Nxu community in Tsumkwe West (Mangetti Dune), faced such adversities early in life, losing his parents at the tender age of four. Despite this tragic start, he chose to persevere, largely with the support of his older sister. To make ends meet, Ndemuyimba began harvesting devil's claw at just eight years old. He would walk more than 50 kilometres from as early as 06h00 to dig, cut, and dry the tubers, selling it at Mangetti Dune (N?a Jaqna Conservancy). This gruelling trade continued until he was 18.
'We sometimes used to go camping with six or seven other people from my community for nearly a month just to dig, cut and dry them before we sell them. That was the only way I could get money to buy my school uniform and food for the family,' Ndemuyimba said. He added that while in the forest, he survived by eating monkey fruit and hunting wild animals.
Ndemuyimba stated that after losing his parents, life became difficult as he relied on his older sister as his main guardian. This situation forced him to mature quickly and become self-reliant, leading him to the devil's claw business. 'My sister worked as a local coordinator at a local conservancy, and she used to support me as well, but I also used to get money by cleaning the yards of teachers at Mpungu Primary School in Kavango West over weekends,' Ndemuyimba said. He added that while in Grade 8 his sister lost her job.
'When I was in Grade 8 I went to visit my sister during the school holiday in Tsumkwe West, and I discovered that she had lost her job, and she was surviving by going to collect devil claws and supporting the family,' he recalled. They then started depending more heavily on collecting devil's claw for survival.
Through a friend, Ndemuyimba in 2020 applied for a scholarship at Palms for Life and started a bridging course in 2021 at the Community Skills Development Foundation (Cosdef) at Otjiwarongo, where he enrolled for an office administration level one course before moving to Tsumeb Cosdef for a level two and three course eventually. In his final year, Ndemuyimba applied for an internship programme as an administrator at Ondera Combined School, where he is confident that his skills are still needed following an impressive performance during the brief period he spent at the school.
The Palms for Life Fund is a nonprofit organisation based in New York City that has a strong history of implementing international projects aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty and marginalisation in Africa, Latin America, and Asia by promoting access to education, food, water, and sanitation. Since it was founded in 2006, Palms for Life has positively affected the lives of thousands of individuals worldwide. Ndemuyimba is one of the beneficiaries of this programme, which provided him with the opportunity to pursue his education.
'According to the report I got from the school, my internship went very well, and they want me to continue with them next semester. I have learned a lot about real-life work-related problems, and together as a team, we came up with solutions. Although the distance was a bit overstretched, I managed to complete it successfully,' Ndemuyimba said.
Jason Kalenga, the principal of Ondera Primary School, praised Ndemuyimba for his diligence and dedication to his responsibilities as an administrator at the school. He stated that they are willing to keep Ndemuyimba on permanently as an administrator, but this would require government approval and an official vacancy. Kalenga and his colleagues have in the meantime taken the initiative to contribute financially on a monthly basis to provide Ndemuyimba with an allowance while he builds his experience.
'My colleagues and I have come together to contribute something monthly to serve as an allowance for Joseph while he also builds on his experience,' Kalenga said. Ndemuyimba is one of 1 200 marginalised youth supported by Palms for Life to receive training at Cosdef. The initiative aims to equip young people with skills for employment in Namibia's growing tourism and hospitality sectors.