BLOUWES: Residents of Blouwes and other villages in the Karas Region has been asking how long do they have to wait before receiving their goats from the German Initiative Programme.

Almost seven years after the programme was introduced, residents of Blouwes, Berseba, Vaalgras and Bethanie in Karas have not yet tasted the fruits of the programme.

In 2005 the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany proposed a Special Initiative for which the German Government undertaken to commit a total of about N.dollars 160 million disbursed over a period of three to five years.

Namibian Cabinet approved the project processes in May 2006.

The Special Initiative is meant for development projects in areas and for communities that had “historic ties” with the German colonial government such as Nama, Herero and San among others.

Though the project did not start yet in such places, tensions are high in the traditional authorities of as the programme is faced with favouritism and unfair selection critics.

Speaking to Nampa at Blouwes last Thursday, some residents said it is high time that their goats are bought and distributed to them because they waited for long.

Blouwes Traditional Authority Secretary Lintha Zettin Plaatjies says so far their committee has selected 70 households to receive 20 goats each.

She said the group is made up of people with no goats at all and those with not more than 50 goats.

Plaatjies however noted that priority was given to a lot of people who do not own a single goat.

The agreement is that beneficiaries will have to pay back 20 goats to be distributed to new beneficiaries to be selected every after every three years.

Nampa also learned that the project committee and consultants in the four areas has scheduled meetings to brief residents on the progress of projects.

The first meeting will take place on, 30 July in Vaalgras, 31 July at Berseba, then on 01 August it is in Bethanie and the last meeting is scheduled on 02 August in Blouwes.

The primary beneficiaries of the Program are the identified poor communities of the Otjozondjupa, Omaheke, Kunene, Erongo, Karas and Hardap Regions, but ultimately the projects shall benefit all Namibians.

The Program fund small scale social and economic infrastructure projects (including equipment) oriented to benefit the poor and have an impact on poverty.