Erongo Marine Enterprises has donated frozen fish and food items to 25 schools across the Ohangwena Region.

The donation, which comprises boxes of frozen horse mackerel, maize meal, dried meal packs and canned fish, will strengthen the schools' feeding programme.

Erongo Marine Enterprises General Manager Clive Kambongarera said the donation was necessitated by the challenges they witnessed at Hifikepunye Pohamba Combined School in Epembe Constituency earlier this year, after the school reached out to them for assistance.

"Hunger is an invisible enemy, but the results and effects of it cannot be invisible at all. When a child is hungry, they lack the will, energy, and motivation to learn. We understand the connection between nutrition because it feeds the brain."

Speaking on behalf of beneficiaries, Hifikepunye Pohamba Combined School Principal Petrus Shikongo said the school faced challenges last year due to drought.

He said those entrusted with supplying food for the school feeding programme could not deliver due to the poor rainfall experienced last year. 

"It was a very devastating period for us teachers to see learners sleeping in the classrooms during the lessons. Some learners resorted to absenteeism and school dropout, while girl learners fell prey to teenage pregnancies as wicked men took advantage of their situation. As a school principal, I could not allow this situation to manifest under my watch; I contacted our friends in education to come to our rescue." 

Ohangwena Governor Kadiva Hamutumwa commended Erongo Marine for their generosity.

"It's important for us to state as the regional leadership that the government has prioritised quality education and food security as critical pillars towards sustainable development for the country, and additionally, the office of the governor is required to ensure effective implementation of the sixth National Development Plan. So this can only be done through multi-sector partnerships such as this one."