Japan donates a computer laboratory to Jacob Marengo

The Government of Japan, through its Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) programme, has extended US$28,976.00 (or N$177,469.18) to the Jacob Marengo Secondary School to construct a computer laboratory. The handover ceremony took place this week at the Jacob Marengo Secondary School in Windhoek. Mrs. T Seefeldt from the Department of Education, Mrs. Ottilie Grete Abrahams, Principal of Jacob Marengo Secondary School and Mr. Shinich Ito, Minister of Embassy of Japan, attended the ceremony. The Jacob Marengo Secondary School is a community-based private school located at Katutura in Windhoek and currently has more than 650 students from Grade 8 to Grade 12 enrolled.

The Katutura village was a former black township in the period of apartheid and has suffered from serious poverty. The unemployment rate of this village is expected to be 34% and 45% of households are considered to be female headed. The Government of Japan has been impressed by all efforts of the principal and staff of Jacob Marengo School, under serious conditions, to improve the educational environment for its pupils. Following its first donation in 2000 to erect four classrooms and eight toilets, this is the second time that the embassy is supporting the school. The GGP Programme, through which many Namibian communities have benefited, is designed to assist eligible organizations including non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, local governments, schools, hospitals, and clinic etc. It is a specific programme aimed at directly reaching and immediately benefiting disadvantaged communities at grass roots level. The Government of Japan has implemented projects since 1997 amounting to over N$53 million.