The Namibian Grape Company (NGC) has opened a pre-school educational resource centre for the children of its employees in Aussenkehr.
The centre was built by the Namibia Grape Company Social Development Trust, which was established by Capespan in partnership with the NGC board to focus on the social needs of the Aussenkehr community and NGC employees.
More than 350 people, including 80 VIPs, attended the opening of the centre, including the Namibian minister of health and social services Dr Richard Kamwi, NGC board chairman Dr PT Shipoh, NGC Social Development Trust chairman John Endjala, Maersk Line SA managing director David Williams and Capespan managing director Neil Oosthuizen.
As part of the trust programme to further improve the Aussenkehr communities’ lives, an emergency vehicle was handed over officially to the Namibian ministry of health at the inauguration.
Capespan Foundation manager Ansonette van der Merwe said: “Phenomenally fast project progress was ensured thanks to the successful funding partnership between shipping company Maersk Line and the NGC Social Development Trust. It took an almost unbelievable eight months from initial discussions to completion of the 120sqm centre.”
The NGC is a 360-hectare grape farm employing 263 permanent staff members and about 700 seasonal employees during harvest time. Grapes from the farm are exported mainly to Europe, the UK, the Middle East, the Far East and other smaller markets.
Aussenkehr was one of the first regions to benefit from Maersk Line’s tree planting projects throughout Southern Africa. More than 100 trees were planted at the resource centre.
In a statement read on his behalf, Namibian president Hifikepunye Pohamba commended the trust on improving Aussenkehr residents’ living standards with the centre and emergency vehicle.
Earlier this year, the Capespan Group concluded a 10-year marketing and management agreement with the National Youth Service (NYS) to manage the NGC in the south of Namibia as part of a skills transfer process. NGC was transferred to the NYS to administer as part of its asset portfolio by the ministry of lands and resettlement.
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