Ignaz Hidber, April 2023
In the meantime, I have reached retirement age and dedicate most of my time in the third phase of my life to supporting and promoting intellectual and craft education in Namibia.
At a young age, I spent several years working as an electrical engineer in various countries in Africa. As a result of this activity, I inevitably gained insight into a highly interesting and extremely rich culture. So it was obvious to deal with the country of Africa and its needs in the following years.
After independence of Namibia in 1990, my sister Lis started a development program for the poor of the poorest (apc-namibia.com) in Namibia. Since the beginning, I have supported my sister in many matters in order to support her unrestricted and self-sacrificing activity. Most of the time I work in the background, mainly to win sponsors and secure the financial resources.
My work and experience in Namibia enabled me over time to tackle projects, independent of my sisters ongoing APC projects.
In the course of my project activities, I got to know the community in Ovinyru. My friend Floyd Hambira introduced me to the head of the community. The meeting took place outside on the green area in rain and stormy winds, and I was able to witness how the leaders of the community (2015) were busy with the construction of a stable fence. The community leader explained to me: “We are building and laying the foundation for our youth’s future, because education begins in kindergarten.” This message was anchored in my head, and so it was clear to me where the groundbreaking ceremony should take place.
Back in Switzerland, I got to work out the necessary conditions for the construction of a kindergarten, as well as the necessary financial resources for the start. My friends from the architectural office “Danial Ackermann and Partner” made their contribution in the preparation of all construction plans and expertise.
In 2017 back to Ovinjuru, I was allowed to hand over the construction plans, as well as a check of a larger sum, sufficient for the entire shell, to the municipality in a solemn ceremony. This was the starting signal for the actual construction work. Various hurdles of all kinds accompanied us until the completion of the entire area.
On the occasion of my last stay last March 2023, we did the rest of the work. The children were already allowed to use the school premises in February – a strong emotional experience not only for me, but also for the whole community, that their vision of realizing the foundation for the children’s future.
RETU Ovinjuru, as the realized project is called, is not only the focus as a kindergarten, but the buildings offer the community the use for further tasks, in the context of education. Ultimately, it is an educational center for the community with an integrated kindergarten in the core.
The realization of a project on this scale was a very demanding task for everyone involved. First of all, I would like to thank all the employees of the municipality of Ovinjuru for their work and the legacy assets. I am also thinking of the pandemic, which massively delayed the construction and the passing away of Floyd’s uncle – a very painful loss. During the construction phase we had immense support from Holland, Switzerland and especially from Germany. Without the construction expertise on site, specifically from the German work force, the construction with all the many obstacles could not have been realized this year. I would like to express a huge thank you to all those who helped.
I also deserve a big thank you to my wife Damaris for her work. She has been accompanying me for several years in my ongoing projects in Namibia. Damaris is Vice President of our NGO “School Support Projects Namibia” and will succeed me.
My very last and big thanks I would like to express to my friend Floyd. I am happy that our completely unexpected meeting in Tsumb took an unusual, fruitful development, and that we can all reap fruits with the realization of the project.
Ignaz Hidber April 2023
President NGO” School Support Projects Namibia”