At atleast 32 617 families from marginalised communities benefit from the government’s special feeding programme.
The programme is meant to provide food supplements to the San, Ovatue and Ovatjimba communities due to their dire socio-economic and impoverishment levels.
Gender equality, poverty eradication and social welfare minister Doreen Sioka on Monday motivated her N$7,9 billion budget, the majority of which will go towards the government’s social grants.
Of this, N$280 million will go to the marginalised community’s programme.
“A total number of 32 617 households of marginalised communities benefited from the special feeding programme,” Sioka said.
There are morethan 2 800 children from these communities who benefit from the education section of this programme.
“An amount of N$280 million has been allocated to this main division for the 2024/2025 financial year, for the implementation of programmes for the marginalised communities, mainly education support to marginalised students, livelihood support, funeral services and the San feeding programme, inclusive of personnel expenditure.
Moreover, the ministry’s programme that is focused on the livelihoods of persons with disabilities received an allocation of N$43,5 million.
A total of 50 291 persons with disabilities were provided with disability grants, Sioka said, reflecting on last year’s programme highlights.
The allocation is meant to provide financial support to students with disabilities at tertiary institutions and provision of basic commodities to persons with severe disabilities.
The ministry also gives funding to the National Federation of People with Disabilities in Namibia and its affiliated organisations, pays personnel expenditures and provides a subsidy to the National Disability Council of Namibia.
Sioka said last year, social workers in the ministry attended to 1 753 children who experienced violence and abuse.
“In 2023/2024, a total number of 18 victims were accommodated at the shelters during the period from April to December 2023.
“During the awareness campaigns on gender-based violence and violence against children and trafficking in persons, 18 094 people, including children and adults, were reached,” she said.
On social protection, the minister said 8 225 households representing 37 053 individuals received conditional basic income grants, previously known as the Food Bank.
“Across all 14 regions, as part of the first phase of the implementation of the Basic Income Grant, which currently serves the urban and peri-urban poor,” she said.
The development budget will take N$12 million of the chunk, while N$7,9 billion is allocated to the operational side.
In addition, social grants were provided to 373 017 orphans and vulnerable children, who are currently on the grant system as at 31 March 2024.
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