Company Announcement - Ship repair company Elgin Brown & Hamer Namibia has demonstrated once more its commitment to a better life for all Namibians. In line with the government’s ‘Vision 2030’, the company has made a substantial donation towards a local reading programme in order to enhance the quality of teaching and introduce children to a world of learning through books. The Erongo Region Ministry of Education, in launching its ‘Erongo Reading Programme’, aims to address poor levels of reading ability in the region by exposing learners to a wider range of books and developing the skills of teachers.  This initiative reflects the philosophies at the heart of EBH Namibia, a company which places learning, skills development and training at the top of its own agenda.

“Developing people is at the core of our corporate culture, a philosophy which filters through our organisation and out into the community. As a business we have a responsibility and an obligation to exert a positive influence on our immediate social environment. One of the ways in which we can do this is to support educational initiatives such as the Reading Programme, and it is our honour to do so,” says Hannes Uys, Chief Executive Officer of EBH Namibia. The company has also recently invested in an affordable housing project by developing a piece of land procured for the sole purpose of building some 220 houses for its employees. Taking into account the socio-economic needs of the Namibian people and working together to find solutions is what Vision 2030 is about, says Uys. “The government has called on the private sector to partner with the public sector and other entities to help raise the quality of life and standard of living of the Namibian people. Housing and education are two fundamental areas in which EBH can make a difference in our region,” he says.

“Vision 2030 is everybody’s responsibility,” says John Awaseb, Director of the Erongo Region Ministry of Education. “Corporate sponsorship, such as from EBH Namibia, together with the Ministry of Education will strengthen Vision 2030 and make it a reality.” The premise behind the Reading Programme is the low levels of reading ability evident among learners in the region, and a vision of ensuring that every learner is taught to read effortlessly and fluently. “There is no doubt that a learner who cannot read, cannot learn.  It is our aim to turn the situation around by making books more accessible to learners, to provide the time and space for them to read, and most importantly, to build ‘reading stamina’ among our learners in a world with so many electronic distractions,” says Awaseb.

He continues: “We are immensely grateful to EBH Namibia for sharing our vision and making such a generous financial donation to the Reading Programme. One cannot overstate the importance of reading in education. EBH’s contribution will not only raise the standard of reading, but will also support the continuous professional development of our teachers.  Quality teaching will yield quality results.”

“Reading and learning are fundamental building blocks to a prosperous future for Namibia and her people,” Uys adds.  “A programme which aims to encourage learning and personal development is ‘music to our ears’ at EBH Namibia.  We wish the Erongo Ministry of Education well in implementing this exciting initiative.”