The organiser of a recent first aid and CPR training held in Keetmanshoop, Mac Witbooi, has set the record straight regarding the credibility of the training.
This is after participants alleged fraud against him following discovery that the certificates they received were not accredited.
The aftermath of the training facilitated by University of Namibia (UNAM) lecturers in early July has placed Witbooi in hot water after some attendees said that the certificates were not accredited and accused the organiser of fraud.
Witbooi denies the allegations, stating he was transparent from the start and that the certificates were for participation only. He stated that he was summoned by ||Kharas Governor Dawid Gertze and approached by the Namibian Police regarding the fraud claims directed towards him, some participants and their parents.
"The misunderstanding was on the certificates; they thought the certificates were accredited by UNAM because UNAM is helping us not just as lecturers but also as community members, and we also want to clarify that they helped us. The misunderstanding is the certificates."
It was also reported that participants paid N$300 to take part in the training. Witbooi informed the news team the reason behind the participation fee.
"Those funds went to paper, they went to the venue, they went to lunch and all that stuff; they ate and drank, and we from the organisation didn't benefit from this. We took all the funds we received back into the participants, so we are not for gain; we are here to empower the youth."
The deputy chairperson of KYDI, Festus Shimanda, apologised to the participants for the misunderstanding and especially to the UNAM lecturers that were dragged into these allegations.
"We didn't know that this would turn into a bigger situation where their superiors would be involved; they came as community members just to come and educate the youth on first aid and how to treat wounds, to help someone that drowned and all that. So our apology from the KYDI."
Witbooi emphasised that the training is not accredited by the NQA and explained that KYDI is a new initiative, which he hopes to register with the NQA in the near future.