"If you want to plan for 1 year, plant rice. If you want to plan
for 10 years, plant trees. If you want to plan for 100 years, educate
children" - Confucius.
This ethos has been taken to heart in Namibia. 25
years after becoming an independent nation and emerging from the shadow
of decades of South African rule, Namibia has steadily grown, but there
are many challenges still ahead. As this nation recognizes the supreme
importance of education in lifting its people up and setting the
foundations for a meaningful future, huge portions of the government's
budget have been allocated for schools and educational resources. To
compliment and support this endeavor, The Millennium
Challenge Account Namibia has partnered with The Ministry of Education
and the Namibia Library and Archives Service. Together they have created
three of the brightest new stars in the constellation of Namibia's
educational resources: three massive regional libraries and resource
centers. Inaugurated in November of 2014, these facilities are located
in Gobabis, Oshakati and Helao Nafidi. Empowered with these incredible
new tools, the librarians and educators of Namibia have the means
to chart their own course forward and offer vastly expanded
opportunities for the learners in their communities.
I have the distinct pleasure of serving as a librarian at the Ohangwena
Regional Library and Resource Center in Helao Nafidi. When I first came
to work at the center, I was struck by its two immediately recognizable
and remarkable assets. Entering through the main door past the
trellises of ivy, visitors are instantly aware they are in a top-tier
educational institution. The library consists of two main floors
connected by a gracefully curving ramp that creates a spacious open
environment. Both levels house the library's collection of thousands of
book on all topics; literature for all ages, an extensive reference
section, applied sciences and academic textbooks, and everything in
between. One can get lost for hours wandering through the stacks
perusing titles. The three Namibian national newspapers are always
available, as well as a range of popular magazines and periodicals.
Gracious furniture and work tables make it easy to spend the day lost in
a compelling book, and massive windows create a welcoming bright
atmosphere. Fast wireless internet means the world is at your
fingertips, and 20 free public computers make technology accessible to
everyone. Young students make use of the quiet study halls, and AV
equipped conference rooms host community functions. The ICT center's
trained staff offers free computer training classes to adult learners.
Perhaps the Resource Center's most heartening feature is the extensive
children's library, with 16 computers, books and games for all young
ages, educational video games, and a large outdoor play yard. The
library's air conditioning also offers a welcome respite from the heat
of northern Namibia, powered in part by the massive solar panels
covering the roof. Being in only its fourth month of operation, the
Regional Library will only continue to grow from its auspicious
beginning and build the resources it can offer to the public.
While the facilities of the library are highly
impressive, the center's most valuable asset is unquestionably its
staff. The 23 full time professional librarians and ICT technicians are
what turns the facility from an edifice of concrete, glass and steel,
into an dynamic institution, humming with potential energy. Behind the
main circulation desk 4 librarians monitor the in and outflow of
materials and guide patrons. The business center's staff facilitate the
needs and provides direction for the energies of young entrepreneurs.
For those beginning to learn how to use computers, the ICT staff are
always there to assist. Three dedicated children's librarians work with
dozens of young learners every day, fostering a love of learning and
reading. For older students, there is a librarian solely to help with
homework and school projects. No matter a guest's needs, there is a
librarian to support and assist them. There is even a designated schools
librarian, who helps build the capacity of school libraries within the
region. All of the staff share the conviction that the Resource Center
is an incredible new asset for the community offering tremendous
opportunities, to be grown and shared. From my first day working with
the team, I knew I was very fortunate to have colleagues who feel not
that they have to go to work, but that they get to come to the library
each day. From this early stage, it is very encouraging and exciting to
imagine and work towards future goals and possibilities.
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