Connectors of Positive Change

The Capricorn Group and its subsidiary companies aspire to be Connectors of Positive Change by creating economic value in a responsible way that creates sustainable opportunities for advancing and improving the economic and social conditions in the communities where they operate.

The Capricorn Foundation is proud to announce its continued support of the Development Workshop Namibia (DW) for its project titled, “Strengthening Early Childhood Development in Namibia’s informal settlements”. The financial support of N$400 000 from the Capricorn Foundation, which was confirmed on Wednesday, 27 April 2022, will be channelled towards the 24 ECD centres that DW supports in Opuwo and Katima Mulilo, benefitting some 636 children that are enrolled in these ECD centres, as well as 52 teachers. “Data shows that investment in ECD is one of the most cost-effective strategies for societies to develop the human capital requirement to advance economic and social development as the period in a child’s life from zero to eight years is critical in terms of building a strong foundation for healthy development, lifelong learning and well-being,” said spokesperson Grace Luvindao.

The project will comprise of three intervention areas: teaching and learning materials that will see the development, design, printing and distribution of books, booklets and other supporting materials; teacher training in all project towns, including development and printing of effective and appropriate teacher training materials; and ECD centre physical improvements, which will involve the finalising of appropriate and efficient grant mechanism and commencement of construction and monitoring to improve physical structures of the centres. These activities are implemented in close collaboration with local authorities and the ministries of gender and education, and all project results are a direct contribution to the objectives of Harambee II.

“ECD is one of the key pillars of The Harambee Prosperity Plan 2 (HPPII), seeking to address the long-term effects that result from unequal opportunities for young children. This important document for guiding development activities explicitly names DWN as a partner of government for urban development. This strong relationship allows DWN to collaborate with government institutions to best support the provision of quality and integrated ECD throughout Namibia, and we are proud that Capricorn Foundation has once again committed to invest in our initiatives,” said Hilma Weber, ECD programme manager of Development Workshop Namibia.

In the last two years, the Capricorn Foundation has further supported various projects operating across Namibia with a focus on support, infrastructural improvements of ECD centres and the development of ECD material for teachers and children.