Bright Future for Future Leaders

The OPEN DOORS Education Centre (ODEC) welcomed Australian High Commissioner to Namibia, Tegan Brink, along with Brett Elmer, First Secretary (Trade and Economic), their Honorary Consul in Namibia, Ed Humphrey, and Will Butler, Senior Researcher/Policy Officer. The Australian High Commission supported ODEC in establishing the library by donating most of the books, including over 1,300 reading books and more than 1,500 school textbooks. They also supported the Early Childhood Development (ECD) classes with Resource Kits containing educational material.

ODEC is run by the nonprofit organization Tangeni Shilongo Namibia, which also manages the DRC School Project and the OPEN DOORS Scholarship Program. Since January 2024, ODEC has been open to 250 children and youths daily, with 25 local employees.

ODEC has provided high-quality education to the disadvantaged community of Swakopmund since January 2024. This goal is being achieved through a registered Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centre (Kindergarten & Grade 0) and a Primary School (Grades 1-3). They also offer a Multi-grade Program for learners from Grades 4-7 who have not found a place in a school. This program keeps them academically active for up to one year and aims to reintegrate them into the school system. In the morning, they serve 155 learners, most of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds, with a primary focus on the community of DRC. After school, ODEC offers homework classes for 125 learners from Grades 1-12 to provide the individual support the children lack at home. This program is open not only to their own learners but also to those enrolled in public schools, as they aspire to be an educational centre benefiting the whole community.

Theresa Rhodes, the founder and director of Tangeni Shilongo Namibia, mentioned that every year, ODEC takes 10 unemployed youth into the program. They become part of a six-month leather course, where the goal is not only to train them to produce their own products, such as bags or shoes made of genuine leather, but also to equip them with skills and knowledge that will benefit them in the long term. They also have a kitchen, as without a balanced diet, no child can perform at their best. Therefore, their goal is to provide the children with at least one healthy and wholesome meal a day, including at least one piece of fruit.

Their library is open for research and leisure reading, which is particularly important considering the high number of learners who have difficulties with reading due to a lack of practice. They aim to offer the best education to disadvantaged youths and thereby break the vicious cycle of intergenerational poverty. Currently, the library is only open to registered learners, but they hope to open it to a wider community in the future.

“We can see reading development happening as our teachers from Grades 1 to 3 visit the library with their learners, introducing them to reading for beginners. We also see students from other institutions registering to use the library during free periods to study,” said Rhodes. She further mentioned that in the afternoons, homework tutors use the books to support learners with their assignments. The neighbouring community has also begun asking when they will be able to join the library, which shows a high level of interest and excitement. Additionally, their librarian, Melty Shikongo, has become comfortable in his new working environment and is starting to offer his services.

“The library will operate with a borrowing system, where books will be borrowed for a certain period and then returned to the library. This system ensures that resources remain in the library and are accessible to the community for the foreseeable future,” said Shikongo. He also mentioned that he will ensure the library remains neat and will repair books if necessary to guarantee their long-term use. “The stories the kids read will forever stay in their minds, even after the book has been returned,” he added.