The Tutungeni Day Care Centre project was initiated in 2000. Funding was granted by RPZC in collaboration with Skorpion Zinc and RoshSkor to the tune of N$472 000.00. The planned facility was erected, renovated, constructed and was inaugurated in 2012 by RoshSkor via Obib. The responsibility to look after the infrastructure remained with RoshSkor Township. The people of Tutungeni have benefited vastly from this project. The centre offers Day Care services to the community of Tutungeni and the entire Rosh Pinah, by providing 4 fully furnished classrooms to 4 different trained ECD teachers.
Each teacher enters into an agreement with RoshSkor and they do not pay any rental of fees of the building to RoshSkor, but are only responsible for their own utility costs such as water and electricity which is very minimal. Each of the teachers earn their own income through the payments collected from the parents plus a monthly incentive from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare who are the custodians of Early Childhood Development in Namibia. Currently the centre is being used in the evening by the Ministry of Education, to offer literacy classes to adult and out of school learners.
In 2011 Management Sciences for Health approached RoshSkor to initiate the establishment of a Community Centership Programme. Centerships are community entities defined, owned, and operated by community members. The primary purpose of these organizations is to implement community health projects, particularly in the collection of community health information through centership community health workers. These health activities would in turn be funded through a centership-run business, using skills gained through business planning training provided by AIDSTAR-Two.
A centership organization has been established in Rosh Pinah, comprised of community members from Tutungeni. The organization is receiving both technical and financial support from MSH, and on-site support from a Peace Corps volunteer. The centership was given a free office equipped with ablution facilities free of charge at the Day care centre premises.
This training program was launched in November 2009 and is done in close collaboration with Catering Contract Management (CCM). Obib manages the whole project with sponsorship from the mines and CCM, and the training is done by CCM at CCM premises. This training aims at producing trainees that can be absorbed in the hospitality (tourism) industry in the //Karas Region as well as the bigger Namibia (a very dynamic industry in Namibia).
The training is conducted over a period of approximately 7 months and the qualification is issued through the Institute of Hospitality Studies (IHS) in South Africa. The IHS is accredited with The Tourism, Hospitality, and Sports Education & Training Authority (THETA) in South Africa. The IHS is affiliated to the SA Chef’s Association as well as GIBBS Business School (Witwatersrand Business School). It includes large amounts of in-service training where the participants take part in the routine activities of CCM’s business (preparing food for hundreds of people).
The skills that are associated with this qualification cover all aspects of hospitality: e.g. hygiene, safety, preparing different dishes, catering for different occasions, how to handle different kitchen tools, first aid, waitressing, different cooking methods, etc. It also included basic business skills training aimed at entrepreneurial development.
The training covers a comprehensive sewing and needlework course designed by the Ministry of Higher education, and Monitoring and evaluation is done by OTC. This training aims at producing trainees that can be absorbed in the manufacturing and textile industry in the //Karas Region as well as the bigger Namibia (an emerging industry in Namibia).The vocational training offered by Obib gives these people the opportunity to start with the basic levels of vocational training that will provide them with the necessary entry qualification to apply for higher levels of training with other institutions. To date, 80 Namibians have benefited from this program, and most of them are running their own businesses across the country, with other employed in the textile industry.
Training is done for 7 months and upon graduation, each participant receives a sewing machine and a startup material voucher, and so far this project has over the years been made possibly by the 2 mines available in Rosh Pinah. This we believe will help the graduates to start up smoothly.
The Tutungeni Centre for Hope was founded in Rosh Pinah in 2007 by inhabitants of the Tutungeni Informal Settlement. Its existence came into being after it was realized by the Local Community the need for assistance and food for vulnerable children, in some cases orphans, in Tutungeni. The organization was registered in 2008 with Ministry of Health and Social Welfare as a Non-profit Welfare Organization (WO321) with the following objectives:
– To provide a safe environment for children by establishing and running an after school centre and a day-care facility;
– To uplift orphans and vulnerable children through life-skills training and by providing in their basic needs;
– To empower unemployed mothers through training in order to create their own income, improve their lifestyle and function independently and
– To solicit funds in order to fund the objectives of the organization.
This project was established in 2011, and specializes in purchasing wool, sorting, combing (carding), spinning, and weaving of carpets and rugs. Raw wool is collected from the local farmers when the shear their sheep, and is the sorted and washed using special wool wash detergents, entangled, combed and spun to produce yarn which is used to weave.
This project is recognized by the Swakara Board of Namibia and Obib is part of the National Wool Steering committee. Our wool is natural, as we do not dye or modify it with colorants, and moth treated.
To order a carpet or rug, one should supply the size and color of their preferred carpets by contacting the Community Development Coordinator, Hanna Shetunyenga on 0811652609
The facility is equipped with standard equipment and offers fitness and health advises to its signed up members. Membership is offered on a 12 months contract base which is renewable and visitors to Rosh Pinah who wishes to keep with the exercise regime as well get the benefit of ‘day visit’ rates and short term contract.
The Rosh Pinah gym is registered and is recognized by the medical aid companies and members get the benefits of gym rebates with their medical aid companies respectively. We also offer affordable rates for scholars and the unemployed members of the community.
To sign up, one can download the attached form ( I will forward you the form) or contact the gym at 063 274 712