Page 8 - UNAM Forum ED1-2020

ON A RIGHTEOUS PATH

TO DO GOOD

UNAM Cares initiative makes a difference

ver the last year, from UNAM’s Visual and and over 30 000 students
the University Performing Arts department countrywide.
of Namibia also curated unique content
has been on a to get people’s attention, Still under the umbrella body,
Omoral campaign including a comic book to UNAM Cares, the University was
to reach out and make a educate school children. able to donate 450 mattresses
difference in the lives of and several brooms to the
ordinary Namibians. UNAM’s It was not long after that, that Ministry of Health and Social
philanthropy was previously UNAM realised that despite Services. The mattresses
dominated by students, but the knowledge and awareness would find their way to lodging
the Vice Chancellor, Professor people were receiving, some facilities where the homeless
Kenneth Matengu, wanted could simply not afford to buy were being sheltered amid the
greater reach. Hence, the soap; a key ingredient to defend COVID-19 outbreak.
establishment of UNAM Cares - against Hep-E transmission.
a philanthropic initiative meant UNNAM and Cardiff University Most recently, the University
to assist all communities that immediately mobilised and of Namibia donated soap
UNAM is able to reach. secured over 2000 bars of soap, and blankets to the Ministry of
which were handed-over to Health and Social Services. The
It began with the outbreak severely affected communities. items were allocated towards
of Hepatitis-E in 2018, which various shelters.
wreaked havoc among The soap bars were well
informal settlements across the received by community “It is a time where we must all
country. Through an initiative leaders. Meanwhile, UNAM do the little that we can to save
with a partner, Cardiff University, was developing a great thirst lives and protect each other”
under the Phoenix project, to do good deeds outside of remarked Professor Kenneth
UNAM undertook social science academia. Various drives have Matengu, the UNAM Vice
research to determine people’s since taken place each month, Chancellor, during the latest
understanding of how to relying mainly on UNAM’s large handover on April 21.
combat the disease. Students community of 2200 employees

8 Official Newsletter