ODEC opens doors to education with modern new school
• Safe haven at ODEC
The state-of-the-art Open Doors Education Centre opened its doors to the communities children and youth last week in the DRC informal settlement of Swakopmund.
Previously housed in containers, the Open Doors Education Centre (ODEC) officially inaugurated its revamped, modern school building last Friday.
Situated in the heart of the DRC neighbourhood in Swakopmund, the multi-coloured building stands out as a beacon of hope among thousands of shacks.
Founded under Tangeni Shilongo Namibia, an association established in Germany in 2015, the centre now houses a state-of-the-art ICT centre, a library, classrooms to accommodate kindergarten to grade three, homework classes, a soup and community kitchen and a vegetable garden.
The school was built with an investment of over N$20 million by Werner Erkes from Germany.
Volkan Sazli, the founder of Tangeni Shilongo Namibia, explained that he completed a one-year voluntary service in Namibia in 2014 when he was just 21 years old, working in the DRC informal settlement along with Theresa Rhode.
“There was no other country in my life that welcomed me from day one as if I had always been one of them. The hospitality, the warmth, the open arms, the love, the solidarity, and the community – even though I was a stranger to them," he said.
"They offered me sincere friendship and gave me a new home. Together, we achieved so much at that time. We realised how easy it is to move mountains when we all pull together. Thus, I decided to found an association, not only in Germany, where we collect donations, but also in Namibia, to work with the local community to bring projects to life that do not belong to white Germans but are in the hands of the Namibian civil society. That’s how Tangeni Shilongo Namibia (TSN) was born.”
He added that over 25 Namibian employees and more than 275 registered Namibian children from surrounding communities are accommodated at ODEC.
“Everyone knows that we are an NGO and an NGO has limited financial resources because it is not profit-orientated. Yet, everyone comes to work earlier than required and leaves later than I would like. They all go the extra mile for the Namibian child, day after day.”
More on the cards
Sazli emphasised that everyone has the right to a high-quality education that “doesn’t differentiate between rich and poor, all over the world.”
“It is important to mention that we, as a society, should not always expect everything from politics. As Namibian civil society, we must discuss with politicians, find compromises and define goals. Then we need to tackle these goals together, hand in hand. Let’s not just expect; let's work together if we want change. ODEC is a good example of this.”
TSN and the Werner Erkes Foundation are currently building another school, also in the DRC, with a further investment of N$25 million.
“Thank you, Werner Erkes, for sharing your prosperity with us in this country, which you have worked hard for all your life, with diligence but also a pinch of luck. Please stay with us for many more years.”
Practical skills
Aside from being a multi-faceted building, ODEC is a state-recognised private school.
“The first that is entirely available to children from the informal settlement (grades 1–3) focuses on conveying skills that will give learners a decisive advantage in the job market. The school offers subjects from the Namibian curriculum but also includes computer science, music, urban gardening and German or Afrikaans as a second foreign language.”
Additionally, the ODEC Youth Development Programme aims to empower educationally disadvantaged, unemployed youth by covering skills that can help them find employment or start a business.
“In a one-year course, ten participants learn how to sew by hand and machine, craft leather bags, keychains, and shoes, and take internships in different companies to gain important insights into sales, distribution, production, and warehousing. By the end of the year, they receive a starter pack with materials to craft their own products and make space for the next ten participants. After graduation, they continue to be part of a mentoring programme.”
Opening the doors to the future
At the inauguration, Erongo Governor Neville Andre noted that, true to its name, Open Doors Education opens new possibilities for its students.
“When I look outside, I see the surrounding shacks. These children come from vulnerable and challenging situations. Some come from homes without a father, while others have experienced the pain of a mother attempting or committing suicide. Many live with gender-based violence as an everyday reality," he said.
"Despite these hardships, I see in them innocent and beautiful souls that this school is helping to protect. You are showing them that it’s not where they come from, but where they are going, that matters. You are helping them make a difference for a better world and society. Education must be the responsibility of all of us. The teachers alone cannot do it, but together, we can," the governor said.
Andre called on the community to join hands with ODEC and its various projects.
“As our children are given these opportunities, we must ask ourselves, ‘What will we do to support them?’ We need a community where parents are involved in their children’s education, where we teach boys about their roles in society, and where balance and safety are ensured for everyone. This is the vision of the Open Doors Education Centre. And for this vision to thrive, we need everyone to be involved.”
Education the great equaliser
Andre noted that crime is a challenge and said it is not just the school’s responsibility to protect the children and the infrastructure.
"The police must play their part by monitoring the area to prevent vandalism. The community, too, must stand up and defend this beautiful initiative so that it can endure and continue to serve future generations."
He also called on support for the centre.
"Our region is rich in natural resources, and those benefiting from these resources should invest in institutions like this. We need more than just the goodwill of individuals like Mr Werner – we need our companies to contribute to securing this environment.”
He concluded, “We want this initiative to go further, not just for the short term but for the long term. Education is the great equaliser – it is the key to our future.”
Situated in the heart of the DRC neighbourhood in Swakopmund, the multi-coloured building stands out as a beacon of hope among thousands of shacks.
Founded under Tangeni Shilongo Namibia, an association established in Germany in 2015, the centre now houses a state-of-the-art ICT centre, a library, classrooms to accommodate kindergarten to grade three, homework classes, a soup and community kitchen and a vegetable garden.
The school was built with an investment of over N$20 million by Werner Erkes from Germany.
Volkan Sazli, the founder of Tangeni Shilongo Namibia, explained that he completed a one-year voluntary service in Namibia in 2014 when he was just 21 years old, working in the DRC informal settlement along with Theresa Rhode.
“There was no other country in my life that welcomed me from day one as if I had always been one of them. The hospitality, the warmth, the open arms, the love, the solidarity, and the community – even though I was a stranger to them," he said.
"They offered me sincere friendship and gave me a new home. Together, we achieved so much at that time. We realised how easy it is to move mountains when we all pull together. Thus, I decided to found an association, not only in Germany, where we collect donations, but also in Namibia, to work with the local community to bring projects to life that do not belong to white Germans but are in the hands of the Namibian civil society. That’s how Tangeni Shilongo Namibia (TSN) was born.”
He added that over 25 Namibian employees and more than 275 registered Namibian children from surrounding communities are accommodated at ODEC.
“Everyone knows that we are an NGO and an NGO has limited financial resources because it is not profit-orientated. Yet, everyone comes to work earlier than required and leaves later than I would like. They all go the extra mile for the Namibian child, day after day.”
More on the cards
Sazli emphasised that everyone has the right to a high-quality education that “doesn’t differentiate between rich and poor, all over the world.”
“It is important to mention that we, as a society, should not always expect everything from politics. As Namibian civil society, we must discuss with politicians, find compromises and define goals. Then we need to tackle these goals together, hand in hand. Let’s not just expect; let's work together if we want change. ODEC is a good example of this.”
TSN and the Werner Erkes Foundation are currently building another school, also in the DRC, with a further investment of N$25 million.
“Thank you, Werner Erkes, for sharing your prosperity with us in this country, which you have worked hard for all your life, with diligence but also a pinch of luck. Please stay with us for many more years.”
Practical skills
Aside from being a multi-faceted building, ODEC is a state-recognised private school.
“The first that is entirely available to children from the informal settlement (grades 1–3) focuses on conveying skills that will give learners a decisive advantage in the job market. The school offers subjects from the Namibian curriculum but also includes computer science, music, urban gardening and German or Afrikaans as a second foreign language.”
Additionally, the ODEC Youth Development Programme aims to empower educationally disadvantaged, unemployed youth by covering skills that can help them find employment or start a business.
“In a one-year course, ten participants learn how to sew by hand and machine, craft leather bags, keychains, and shoes, and take internships in different companies to gain important insights into sales, distribution, production, and warehousing. By the end of the year, they receive a starter pack with materials to craft their own products and make space for the next ten participants. After graduation, they continue to be part of a mentoring programme.”
Opening the doors to the future
At the inauguration, Erongo Governor Neville Andre noted that, true to its name, Open Doors Education opens new possibilities for its students.
“When I look outside, I see the surrounding shacks. These children come from vulnerable and challenging situations. Some come from homes without a father, while others have experienced the pain of a mother attempting or committing suicide. Many live with gender-based violence as an everyday reality," he said.
"Despite these hardships, I see in them innocent and beautiful souls that this school is helping to protect. You are showing them that it’s not where they come from, but where they are going, that matters. You are helping them make a difference for a better world and society. Education must be the responsibility of all of us. The teachers alone cannot do it, but together, we can," the governor said.
Andre called on the community to join hands with ODEC and its various projects.
“As our children are given these opportunities, we must ask ourselves, ‘What will we do to support them?’ We need a community where parents are involved in their children’s education, where we teach boys about their roles in society, and where balance and safety are ensured for everyone. This is the vision of the Open Doors Education Centre. And for this vision to thrive, we need everyone to be involved.”
Education the great equaliser
Andre noted that crime is a challenge and said it is not just the school’s responsibility to protect the children and the infrastructure.
"The police must play their part by monitoring the area to prevent vandalism. The community, too, must stand up and defend this beautiful initiative so that it can endure and continue to serve future generations."
He also called on support for the centre.
"Our region is rich in natural resources, and those benefiting from these resources should invest in institutions like this. We need more than just the goodwill of individuals like Mr Werner – we need our companies to contribute to securing this environment.”
He concluded, “We want this initiative to go further, not just for the short term but for the long term. Education is the great equaliser – it is the key to our future.”
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