Swakopmund: A free tailoring training programme aimed at equipping community members of Mondesa with practical skills for self-employment was officially launched in Swakopmund in the Erongo Region on Saturday. The event also coincided with the establishment of the Mondesa/DRC Neighbourhood Watch to bolster local crime prevention. The dual launch was aimed at empowering local residents and enhancing community safety.
According to Namibia Press Agency, the tailoring project, founded by former mayor Dina Namubes, seeks to restore community values and provide vulnerable individuals with a path to empowerment, especially following recent national tragedies, including the killings of young girls in Okahandja and Usakos. Namubes has offered space at her personal venue and four brand-new sewing machines to enable free tailoring training.
“I want to offer a space for growth, a place where young girls and boys, as well as vulnerable men and women, can find opportunities to learn, develop, and build a better future. This idea was born out of sleepless nights, prayers, and a genuine desire to make a difference,” she said. She drew inspiration from local grassroots mobilisers, especially a woman from the DRC informal settlement, who included her in a WhatsApp group addressing rising crime. “Before I was a mayor, I was just a mother with the same hopes and fears,” Namubes added.
Community leader Christine Aochamus stressed the importance of restoring communal responsibility. “We must return to the principle that it takes a village to raise a child. Until we do, we will continue to witness pain and loss. That is why I am inspired by Swakopmund’s decision to take their town back,” she said. A donation was made towards the DRC Neighbourhood Watch.
Mondesa Police Station Commander, Senior Inspector Ulrich Beukes, thanked supporters and highlighted that 30 young volunteers have recently stepped up to fight crime without pay. “Let us support them so we can reach Vision 2030 together,” he urged.
Johnathan Harris, Youth Mentor and Chairperson of the Swakopmund Leo Club, underlined the need to empower both genders. “The boy child, currently neglected, needs power to push forward. The girl child, though empowered, needs direction.” The Leo and Lions Club also donated laptops to support digital empowerment efforts.