Education hero honoured
With little more than a deep desire to see a better Namibia, a Swakopmund-based maintenance worker has changed the lives of hundreds of poor learners.
Gideon Itewa's tireless passion for education, hard work and a better Namibia for all, is a beacon of hope for a country where crucial funds for education, basic services, housing, and health are often unavailable or torpedoed by corruption, bail-outs and mismanagement.
All who meet Itewa appear to walk away inspired and hopeful, a characteristic that has led him to cross paths with former president Sam Nujoma, who in 2013 became the official patron for Itewa's Erongo Education Fund, and a generous donor to boot.
Now, the 68-year-old Itewa's work on the fund, which was borne from his insatiable desire to ensure that hard-working, but poor learners in the Erongo Region are afforded every opportunity to succeed, will be inducted as a Laureate of the Namibian Business Hall of Fame (NBHF) in November.
“I appreciate the nomination very much and I am enjoying it,” he told Namibian Sun this week in response to the news about his recognition from NBHF announced two weeks ago.
Fellow laureates include Fans Indongo, Gwen Lister, Hilda Basson-Namundjebo, Tom Alweendo, and both the late Harold Pupkewitz and the late Werner List, among others.
It is clear when speaking to Itewa that national honours for his achievements with the fund are a welcome bonus, but his true passion is for quality education, hard work and a ferocious appetite for books and reading.
“Education is the only solution for the problems facing our country. It is the only solution to help build Namibia.”
Itewa himself is not a rich man but says hard work and honesty are the bedrock for success, for both the people and the country.
In Swakopmund, he can often be spotted, in his blue overalls, taking care of the general maintenance for residential and business properties, a job he has done for more than three decades.
He says that he spends a lot of his own, hard-earned cash on books, primarily those that deal with leadership, business and management practices.
Helping hands
To date, more than 200 learners from schools in the Erongo Region have benefitted from the trust, after they are evaluated and carefully screened to ensure that they are deserving of assistance.
More than N$900 000 has been donated, either in cash or as school shoes and uniforms, educational supplies, school fund payments and more, to worthy learners.
In some cases, grade 12 learners are assisted with funds to help them attend university.
“Children are nominated and then I and a board decide together to whom the money will go,” Itewa explained, emphasising the meticulous and transparent process in which the donor funds are managed and spent.
The current state of education is a big worry for Itewa.
“It saddens me, very much, to witness the type of teachers in classrooms today. Very few of them have the knowledge and passion for their job. Many of them are too lazy to do their jobs properly, and are only in it for the money. Teachers should teach to help boost the country. They need to be in it for education, not for money. Money should only be a second priority.”
He is also not convinced parents take their responsibilities seriously.
“Parents have to be more involved in the schools. The government cannot alone be responsible for the quality of education. Government should give 50% and parents the other 50%. Only then will things improve in Namibia.”
A long, dedicated road
Itewa, who celebrates his 40th wedding anniversary this year, is the father of five children, with his youngest child set to complete school this year.
None of his children have benefitted from the fund.
He told Namibian Sun the idea he had in 2008 for a school fund, to help learners in need to successfully attend and finish school, bore fruit soon after he approached education officials there.
At first, he approached school principals and teachers, asking that N$1 dollar per learner and N$2 or more per teacher, be donated to the fund.
“But only for those who have earned it, who work hard and who came from a poor home.”
The fund slowly but surely grew, until it drew the attention of higher up officials and donors, with the eventual official launch of the fund in 2013, and the acceptance of the positions as patron to the fund, by Nujoma.
“The first milestone was when we had collected more than N$360 000. When Nujoma became involved, the funds doubled. The real work began, and we make sure that all schools in the region benefit from it.”
Itewa says he can “talk about education all day. I can talk about the need for quality education all day.”
He says the fund is managed in line with stringent guidelines on transparency and fairness.
“I don't tolerate this 'boetie boetie' (buddy buddy) style or corruption. I don't stand for nonsense. And I also don't tolerate excuses. I am someone who believes in taking responsibility, and if you are tasked with being responsible, not to be irresponsible.”
Last year, Itewa was named as an honorary minister of education by education minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa.
JANA-MARI SMITH
All who meet Itewa appear to walk away inspired and hopeful, a characteristic that has led him to cross paths with former president Sam Nujoma, who in 2013 became the official patron for Itewa's Erongo Education Fund, and a generous donor to boot.
Now, the 68-year-old Itewa's work on the fund, which was borne from his insatiable desire to ensure that hard-working, but poor learners in the Erongo Region are afforded every opportunity to succeed, will be inducted as a Laureate of the Namibian Business Hall of Fame (NBHF) in November.
“I appreciate the nomination very much and I am enjoying it,” he told Namibian Sun this week in response to the news about his recognition from NBHF announced two weeks ago.
Fellow laureates include Fans Indongo, Gwen Lister, Hilda Basson-Namundjebo, Tom Alweendo, and both the late Harold Pupkewitz and the late Werner List, among others.
It is clear when speaking to Itewa that national honours for his achievements with the fund are a welcome bonus, but his true passion is for quality education, hard work and a ferocious appetite for books and reading.
“Education is the only solution for the problems facing our country. It is the only solution to help build Namibia.”
Itewa himself is not a rich man but says hard work and honesty are the bedrock for success, for both the people and the country.
In Swakopmund, he can often be spotted, in his blue overalls, taking care of the general maintenance for residential and business properties, a job he has done for more than three decades.
He says that he spends a lot of his own, hard-earned cash on books, primarily those that deal with leadership, business and management practices.
Helping hands
To date, more than 200 learners from schools in the Erongo Region have benefitted from the trust, after they are evaluated and carefully screened to ensure that they are deserving of assistance.
More than N$900 000 has been donated, either in cash or as school shoes and uniforms, educational supplies, school fund payments and more, to worthy learners.
In some cases, grade 12 learners are assisted with funds to help them attend university.
“Children are nominated and then I and a board decide together to whom the money will go,” Itewa explained, emphasising the meticulous and transparent process in which the donor funds are managed and spent.
The current state of education is a big worry for Itewa.
“It saddens me, very much, to witness the type of teachers in classrooms today. Very few of them have the knowledge and passion for their job. Many of them are too lazy to do their jobs properly, and are only in it for the money. Teachers should teach to help boost the country. They need to be in it for education, not for money. Money should only be a second priority.”
He is also not convinced parents take their responsibilities seriously.
“Parents have to be more involved in the schools. The government cannot alone be responsible for the quality of education. Government should give 50% and parents the other 50%. Only then will things improve in Namibia.”
A long, dedicated road
Itewa, who celebrates his 40th wedding anniversary this year, is the father of five children, with his youngest child set to complete school this year.
None of his children have benefitted from the fund.
He told Namibian Sun the idea he had in 2008 for a school fund, to help learners in need to successfully attend and finish school, bore fruit soon after he approached education officials there.
At first, he approached school principals and teachers, asking that N$1 dollar per learner and N$2 or more per teacher, be donated to the fund.
“But only for those who have earned it, who work hard and who came from a poor home.”
The fund slowly but surely grew, until it drew the attention of higher up officials and donors, with the eventual official launch of the fund in 2013, and the acceptance of the positions as patron to the fund, by Nujoma.
“The first milestone was when we had collected more than N$360 000. When Nujoma became involved, the funds doubled. The real work began, and we make sure that all schools in the region benefit from it.”
Itewa says he can “talk about education all day. I can talk about the need for quality education all day.”
He says the fund is managed in line with stringent guidelines on transparency and fairness.
“I don't tolerate this 'boetie boetie' (buddy buddy) style or corruption. I don't stand for nonsense. And I also don't tolerate excuses. I am someone who believes in taking responsibility, and if you are tasked with being responsible, not to be irresponsible.”
Last year, Itewa was named as an honorary minister of education by education minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa.
JANA-MARI SMITH
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