HANS HAIKALI'S dream has always been to start a business or institution that will give employment to other people, more especially the youth.
He realised his long-awaited dream when he became the youngest person in northern Namibia to set up a private school at Onheleiwa last year.
Haikali (29) was born at Onheleiwa near Okalongo in the Omusati region, and his parents died of HIV-AIDS in 2002 when he was in Grade 10.
His grandparents cared for him and his siblings until he completed high school after which he trained as a teacher at the Ongwediva College of Education.
When he could not find a job, Haikali enrolled with the Namibia Institute of Mining and Technology (Nimt) for a fitter and turner course. Haikali then taught at a private school where he got the idea of setting up his own private school.
“I always believed that I wanted to have my own school and employ others,” he said, adding that he opened the school in a rural area so that deprived children can receive quality education.
That dream was born when he dropped out of a private school at Oshakati after his parents' death.
The school has classes from kindergarten up to Grade 6. There were 245 pupils this year, of which 105 stayed at the hostel. Haikali said he has received 150 new applications for next year.
He said managing a school with a fleet of buses is about commitment and hard work.
“I want to tell young people in Namibia that it does not matter how old one is, or whether you are from a village or not, you must just follow and succeed in your dream,” he said.
As one orphaned by AIDS, Haikali has a policy where the school pays tuition fees for 10% of pupils at his school every year.
“This year 24 orphans attended school free of charge,” he said.
Several residents of Onheleiwa village have applauded Haikali. One such person is Simon Kasheeta who said his three children attend the school and is happy that the school uses English as the medium of instruction.
“One can see the difference the school is making. The use of English is better than at other schools,” he said.
Elcin pastor at Onheleiwa parish Gabriel Angula said Haikali has done a great thing for the school.
Angula recalled when a local church was opened in August and Haikali requested the church to identify two vulnerable primary school pupils whom he could sponsor at his school.
