By:Annakleta Haikera
A local close corporation Omnicon Investments, jointly with the regional councils of the Kavango East and West regions, have kicked off activities around the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence(GBV), World Aids Day, and Health & Wellness Expo which will run until 10 December 2022, Human Rights Day.
The main event, which is free and open to the public, will take place on 2 December at the village of Satotwa, the administrative centre of the Mankumpi constituency in the Kavango West region.
According to organisers, it will be a packed programme taking the communities of the two regions through nine days of learning, promotion, awareness raising, and fun.
Organisers said the programme is an ideal opportunity for community members to be sensitised to play their role in ending violence against women and girls, and to show support for people living with and affected by HIV and to remember those who lost their lives to AIDS.
The goal of the expo is to invite the public and show them what is available in terms of health and wellness support, to learn about disease management, prevention, and lifestyle changes. A host of information on healthy living will be shared by the service providers.
Wilson Kandjii, managing member of Omnicon Investments, says many rural areas lack wellness information, adding that it is a challenge for people to get information on how to get medical aid and the danger of gender-based violence, which is a major concern to many women living in rural areas.
“We want to give accurate information to the people as health administrators which will be represented. My job is to make sure that everyone in the two Kavango regions is well informed about the benefits of healthy living,” Kandjii pointed out.
He said he called on all service providers within the health industry to partake in the Health &Wellness Expo, but only a few showed interest to take part and help educate and inform the communities, especially in the Satotwa area where the official event will be held.
He said sanitary pads will be distributed to learners in that area to help the needy and underprivileged girl child feel at ease during her menstrual cycle.
“We have been doing this on every outreach we have undertaken,” he said.
Kandjii also informed that “our project” will give free screening to the general public that will avail themselves that day.
“Members of our communities donot know what medical aid is, and self-medication. So this will be the best platform for all people who own medical aid to come and get the knowledge.”
Kandjii informed that the Health &Wellness Expo will also bee held at Rundu in the Kavango East region from 1 to 3 December 2022.