Namibia, Baumgartsbrunn Phase I & II

CONTEXT

The Baumgartsbrunn Primary School hosts around 200 students from the Damara (Khoikhoigowab) language group. The Damara have a low social status in Namibia. Due to the enormous distances between villages and farms, Baumgartsbrunn is a boarding school where students and teachers stay during the school year.

The children stay in four hostels: young boys, young girls, older girls, older boys. Children in each hostel are cared for by a matron, and a kitchen team of 4 people. Together with Principal Ms Emgard Meroro, the school has a total of 9 teachers (6 women, 3 men).

During construction

After construction

Project Type

Phase 1: Renovation and extension of the boarding school

Phase II: Construction of a Computer Lab

Construction Period:

Phase I: January 2021 – April 2021

Phase II: December 2022 – March 2023

Budget I

30.000 €

Budget II

16.000 €

Children

200

Partner

Pen Paper Peace

Donor

Private Donor

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION PHASE I

Baumgartsbrunn was founded in 1972 by German Steel entrepreneur Helmut Bleks, and was 2005 given to the Namibian state. Teacher salaries are provided for by the state, however, many necessary renovations, transport for students and teachers as well as specialized trainings (like computer skills) can only be realized with the help of private donors.

Primary school in Namibia covers 7 years of instruction, meaning that the age of the children ranges from 7 – 14 years.

Because of the missing resources, the school was several times in danger of being shut down, which would lead to the children being even more dispersed in a country that is very scarcely populated outside the cities and has very limited possibilities for children from poor economic background.

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION PHASE II

The school has an existing computer room, which is currently hosting 16 old computers and a printing machine. There is no fitting furniture in the room. The school currently has in use a class set of 30 tablets. A second classroom set would allow for students to regularly study using digital devices. The school is also supposed to implement an ICT program by the government, but does not have the required technical equipment right now to start implementation. The WIFI connection is usually not the strongest, however, a new internet antenna is planned to be built in the close vicinity to the school.