Christmas Shikongo is a 33-year-old father of three and a community mobilizer working to reduce HIV-related deaths in Omuhongo Village, northern Namibia. For months, Christmas has been educating and counseling adolescent boys, men, and their partners on the health benefits of voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) in preventing HIV. As he escorted some of his …
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How young women in Katima Mulilo succeed in the field of woodwork Namibia has one of the youngest and fastest-growing populations in southern Africa, but more than 40 percent of Namibia’s youth are unemployed – nearly three times as many as the global average – and according to the National Planning Commission of Namibia, this …
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For individuals living with chronic illnesses such as HIV, making sure that the right medicines are accessible at convenient locations is critical to successful treatment and positive health outcomes. Dedicated pharmacists and supply chain professionals like thirty-four-year-old Leena Shailemo are key to making this possible. Shailemo, who has worked as an information technology professional for …
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Monika was born 24 years ago in the Okahala village in the northern Omusati region of Namibia, as one of seven children, where she grew up with her father as well as with her grandparents. In 2018, she had to drop out of school at grade 9 when they refused to pay the school fees …
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“She is an absolute delight to work with,” says one of Maxi’s colleagues at the non-governmental organization where they work together to improve Early Childhood Development (ECD) centers in Windhoek, Namibia. In 2021, Maxi joined DREAMS – an HIV prevention program for vulnerable adolescent girls and young women funded by the United States Government. When …
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John* plays quietly on the floor as his caregiver looks proudly on. Healthy and growing, John is the perfect example of a thriving 3-year-old. However, this was not always the case. John was infected with HIV at birth, and despite being put on the HIV treatment available at the time, the virus was not suppressed …
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Bringing HIV Services to Hard-to-Reach Populations “Good evening, do you have a moment to talk with us? Do you have friends who would like to join us?” These are some of the questions you can hear as the KP-STAR project team engages female sex workers on a street in Windhoek on a Friday night. KP-STAR …
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It is yet another scorching hot day in Eenhana, the capital of northern Namibia’s Ohangwena Region. Dozens of people are convened under the cover of a tree for respite. Like many others present, the Hafunda family travelled 25 kilometres to Eenhana from their home in Oshikonda Village with one goal in mind – to finally …
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Taneta Investment is a women-owned, Namibian small business established in 2015 that has created a niche as a pioneer in the production and transformation of local Marula oil into luxurious cosmetic oil. Taneta partners with local rural women to obtain kernels of the Marula fruit and combines traditional knowledge with modern technology to cold-press the …
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Ndahafa is one of approximately 8,000 Namibian children living with HIV. She was diagnosed with the virus at the age of four, and since then, has been taking HIV medicine known as ART (antiretroviral therapy) at Eudafano Clinic, which is located five kilometers away from her homestead at Omatunda Village in the Ohangwena Region. A …
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Keeping Learners in School in Namibia: An Outbreak Investigation of COVID-19 in Schools Children across the world have missed out on months of schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Namibia, the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture (MoEAC) ended the second term early and introduced a winter break when a third wave of the COVID-19 …
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While many people know what it is like to be tested for COVID-19, only a few people know what happens to the samples once the swab has been taken. Due to the recent surge in cases in Namibia, staff from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Namibia have been volunteering to assist …
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It is not a hot day, but the sun is striking a bright reflection from the white sandy soils of the village at the outskirts of Oshakati, a town in northern Namibia. Standing by her mother, almost leaning over her lap, is her little daughter. The girl’s feet are pale white from the dust she …
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Credit: CDC Namibia January is often a time when people review their budgets, both personally and professionally. For government bodies, the financial year is drawing to a close, and the operation of the last couple of months of the fiscal year are impacted by the pressures and stressors of the year, and how well the …
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The concerns of people with disabilities are typically overlooked in many societies. Acknowledging the pressing need to address the circumstances in which disabled people live in Kunene region, the Hope and Rise Disability project has worked over the past few years to rehabilitate, socially integrate, and promote equal employment opportunities for those living with a …
Read More» It took time and hard work for the Hardap Training Center in Rehoboth to grow its reputation for practical job skills training and community empowerment. But over these years, the machines and equipment used to help thousands of local residents learn skills to better their lives and their community began to break down. A grant …
Read More» With the country’s high rate of unemployment, many Namibian women believe they have no alternative but to turn to sex work, despite the dangers, to feed themselves and their families. Katutura-based King’s Daughters has since 2006 been trying to offer them an alternative. With a small grant from the U.S. Embassy, King’s Daughters tripled their …
Read More» When Emilia Handumbo first found out she was HIV-positive, she was scared. “I thought I was going to die,” she said. For Namibians living with HIV and AIDs, they are not only fighting against the disease, but against the stigma of their neighbors as well. According to Handumbo, when others find out you are sick, …
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