German support for AIDS programme at Lands

GERMANY is assisting the Ministry of Lands and Rehabilitation with a programme to combat HIV-AIDS at the workplace, including resettlement beneficiaries.

Permanent Secretary Frans Sheehama of the Lands Ministry signed a memorandum of understanding with Dr Kathrin Lauckner, AIDS Co-ordinator of the German Development Agency GTZ, last week. The programme entails training of officials, including one focal person to coordinate the programme.The Lands Ministry has already drafted a policy to that effect together with the Legal Assistance Centre.”The principle is to mitigate the impact of HIV-AIDS through access to information at the workplace, in-house counselling, support and care,” Lauckner said.Germany has put aside two million euros (N$14 million) for the project, but that will be shared with similar HIV-AIDS programmes at three other Ministries and some parastatals, she added.According to German Ambassador Arne Freiherr von Kittlitz und Ottendorf, the governments of both countries had agreed in 2001 on AIDS programme support.”Training and equipment are major components so that Namibia does not lose its development gains to the disease.The German Development Service (DED) is also part of this programme,” Kittlitz noted.Already 55 staff members of the Ministry have received training.Deputy Lands Minister Isak Katali said the programme would also reach resettled communities on farms the ministry bought for resettlement.Managers of the Ministry working with the resettled people would play a key role, as well as farmers’ unions and those representing farm labourers.The programme entails training of officials, including one focal person to coordinate the programme.The Lands Ministry has already drafted a policy to that effect together with the Legal Assistance Centre.”The principle is to mitigate the impact of HIV-AIDS through access to information at the workplace, in-house counselling, support and care,” Lauckner said.Germany has put aside two million euros (N$14 million) for the project, but that will be shared with similar HIV-AIDS programmes at three other Ministries and some parastatals, she added.According to German Ambassador Arne Freiherr von Kittlitz und Ottendorf, the governments of both countries had agreed in 2001 on AIDS programme support.”Training and equipment are major components so that Namibia does not lose its development gains to the disease.The German Development Service (DED) is also part of this programme,” Kittlitz noted.Already 55 staff members of the Ministry have received training.Deputy Lands Minister Isak Katali said the programme would also reach resettled communities on farms the ministry bought for resettlement.Managers of the Ministry working with the resettled people would play a key role, as well as farmers’ unions and those representing farm labourers.