Buchter News

“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also’’

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:02:59 +0000

By: Revd. Jan.A. Scholtz

If you were searching for God’s treasure, you’d find it in people. Every person, in every nation on earth, is treasured by God. Yet for many people, life can be tough. ‘One great hour of sharing’ joins us with God, by providing decisive aid when disaster strikes and by helping refugees/people rebuild their lives.

Your gift strengthens struggling communities with basics like education, health care, tools, seeds and wells. When we care for God’s treasured children, we ourselves are transformed. We see more clearly what matters most in life and are inspired to live courageously. Our hope rises as we realise new life is possible .First Timothy 6:18-19 (a) exhorts us “to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share thus storing up ………….the treasure of a good foundation for the future.”

Our treasure lies in honoring God, doing God’s will, and loving God’s treasured people. May you find your treasure, and your heart, through sharing resources and changing lives with a generous gift of ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING.

EBY Volleyball Club Wants You!

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:01:43 +0000

The EBY Volleyball club is looking for new members to join; no experience necessary. The club began in 2007 and has grown since then remarkably. Currently it boasts approximately 30 members, two men’s teams and one ladies team. In 2007 both men’s and ladies won first place in the Mine Championships held in Swakopmund. In 2008 they were successful again with the men’s team coming first place and the ladies coming in second. In 2008 they also competed in the EBY Cup in Luderitz where both teams came second and in 2009 the men’s team won first place in the AIDS cup at the Waterfront. They partake in tournaments all over Namibia and this year are hoping to extend their winning streak all the way to Capetown. Presently the club has no indoor facilities which can be a problem because of the wind. Practise takes place every day from 5.30pm until 7.00pm at the tennis courts on Diaz St. It cost N$50 a month to be a member and this money goes towards transport and accommodation when competing in tournaments. It’s a great way to meet new people, have fun and keep fit. For those not interested in volleyball, there is also a netball team. If you are interested in joining the volleyball club you can contact Quinton at: 081 250 2910 or Leatitia for netball at: 081 275 6147. The EBY Volleyball Club would like to express heartfelt thanks to EBY for sponsoring the club and making its existence possible.

SKORPION ZINC SAFETY WEEK: A FIRST

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:00:49 +0000

Skorpion Zinc will run a week long Safety Campaign starting the 15th of February 2010. This will be a first for Skorpion and a first for Namibia. The theme for the Safety Week: SCORE SAFETY parallels the current excitement and soccer vibe Africa is having on holding the first Soccer World Cup tournament in South Africa.
The Safety Week will be marked by a lot of innovative and entertaining activities which are aimed to elevate the Organizational Safety Culture. All employees will be participating in the activities which will result in various individual, group or team prizes being won. During the Safety Week all employees will reflect on experiences and lessons learnt in 2009. Inspirational thematic sessions will also be held on identifying ways to inspire a culture of performance so as to develop the ideal workplace and to make Skorpion the EMPLOYER OF CHOICE.
Another topical session which will be extensively discussed and forming the backbone of Behavior Based Safety Programmes involves using Reward and Recognition programmes to drive safe behaviour at the work place. It is envisaged that through the implementation of such programmes employee participation in implementing and owning the Company Safety, Health and Environmental Programmes will be increased.
The General Manager is expected to award floating trophy’s to the Best Safety Practises.
The final event which will be a culmination of reflecting the 2009 Safety Journey will result in the 2nd annual Safety Summit for Skorpion. At this event, Skorpion Knights, representing all areas of business, will come together to identify, discuss and propose solutions to improve on safety performance. The information obtained from the Summit will be used to set up a 2010 Safety Improvement Plan to achieve our vision of Zero Harm.
As part of the safety drive at Skorpion, initiatives and ideas are being invited to improve safety at the mine. The competition started last year and the final best submission will be announced at the end of May. The winning Safety entry stands a chance to win a ticket for two to a World Cup in Cape Town.

Skorpion Zinc invests in Future

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 16:59:11 +0000

Winning the war for talent by re-skilling the workforce, sourcing new talent, developing change agents and creating a human capital strategy is a key focus area for Skorpion Zinc mine, an integrated world-class mining and refinery operation located near the southern town of Rosh Pinah.
Open cast mining and hydrometallurgical techniques are used to mine and refine zinc oxide to produce Special High Grade Zinc. To do this Skorpion Zinc combines state-of-the-art technologies with the skills of a highly motivated workforce. As part of its development programme, the company has launched key internal and external development programmes preparing individuals at various levels for future technical and leadership positions.
This year, Skorpion Zinc has awarded five new full scholarships for 2010 in the disciplines of Geology; Mining, Chemical, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering; Metallurgy and Mine Surveying. It has also bonded three final year students. Since the mine started with its bursary scheme, it has sponsored 23 fulltime Namibian bursary students who took up technical courses at internationally accredited universities, of which five students have now completed their studies. During 2010 Skorpion Zinc will sponsor 26 students at university at a cost of more than N$2million for its bursary programme, while more than 13 qualified graduates on trainee programmes have been accommodated in the system.
Two of these bursaries are awarded to residents from the Karas Region after great attempts to get pupils from the region. Three of the bursars are from the Khomas Region, one from Ohangwena while the other two are from Omusati Region.
The bursary scheme covers all costs of tuition, accommodation, text books, pocket money, travel allowances, meals, medical aid, study permits and a computer as from second year. This means a total of 26 students will be sponsored in 2010.

The total cost for the bursary programme amounted to N$2 million dollars last year. Of last year’s group, five students were in their final year. SZ provides paid vacation work and covers related transport costs, meals and accommodation during this time which is an estimated N$600 000.

Students receive challenging projects to complete and presents to EXCO before returning to South Africa in January 2010.

Another Generous CAFO Donation

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 16:57:40 +0000

On the 17th of February, CAFO made yet another generous donation to the Orphans and Vulnerable Children of Luderitz. Revd. Jan Scholtz, the Chairperson of CAFO handed over 489 pairs of shoes to children from various primary schools all over Luderitz.
Revd. Scholtz had this to say about the organisation, “Our goal is to see all children in Namibia fulfill their God – given potential and thus it is our mission to build capacity and provide financial support for the education of orphans and vulnerable children. In order to reach this goal, we have made numerous donations in the past, such as blankets, toiletries, school uniforms, shoes, stationary, and food for soup kitchens”.
However, he also went on to say that this is proving to be a very large task. He explained that although they do have certain funds available to them, money is quite scarce due to the, “overwhelming global need for orphan support”.

Renewable Energy Conferences

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 16:56:25 +0000

On the 29th and 30th of January the Wind Power Demonstration Project held conferences in order to raise awareness about renewable energy possibilities in Luderitz. The Conference on the 29th was held at 9.00am in the German Hostel and local schools participated in the event. Learners from Helene Van Rhijn and the Luderitz Christian School took part in a poster competition and many students and teachers from Luderitz Secondary School attended, as well as the Regional Councillor, David Shoombe. The opening remarks were made by Mr. Shoombe who said he wants to make use of the wind for renewable energy as massive amounts of finite sources are being consumed by the people of Namibia. He encouraged the learners present to become scientists and leaders and to use wave and wind energy in the future. It was discovered in 1992 that if we used wind power to its maximum potential then it could provide enough electricity to cover the entire Karas Region and part of the Northern Cape. There is demand for 550MW of electricity per year; Ruacana only produces 240MW and it’s a hydro-plant so the electricity is seasonal; Van Eck is a coal plant and produces 120MW but is incredibly expensive to run and costs the country N$1000000.00 per day when it’s on; Paratus uses diesel and only creates 24MW. In total, Namibia generates 384MW of electricity, which is insufficient. Currently, half of our power is imported from South Africa, which seems ridiculous as we could be the ones selling if we took advantage of our natural, renewable resources.
The Energy Conference that took place on Saturday began at 9.00am and demonstrated how one might use renewable energy to power household appliances. Unfortunately it was overcast and Luderitz, for once, did not feel the need to blow. As a result, the demonstration was not quite as spectacular as we had hoped but the solar battery on the “Energy Demonstration Trailer” provided enough electricity to prove a point. The aim of the demonstration was to raise awareness and spread information about renewable energy and energy efficient technologies, measures and practices in urban, rural and peri-urban Namibian Settlements. The actual project began in 2006 through local initiative and was funded by the United Nations Development Program through GEF. They have placed one turbine beside Luderitz Secondary School, which has recently been removed, and another beside the Regional Council Office where it powers the Eco-Sewing Project. The Eco-Sewing Project is where local women can earn a salary making and mending clothes and the wind turbine provides the electricity needed to power their sewing machines. In the future they hope to put up more turbines but need help from sponsors to achieve this as their funds have just run out and are grateful for any support for the project.
From the Energy Conference the day before, several youths from Luderitz Secondary School decided to create a Luderitz Wind Club to continue to raise awareness within the town about wind energy and the project donated N$500 to the cause. They hope to raise enough money to erect more wind turbines around Luderitz. At present the club only has a few members but they hope to expand in the future.

“I Thank God For Prison Because I Found God There”.

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 16:08:52 +0000

“I thank God for prison because I found God there”, said inmate Ipinge Nikanor. “I was deeply sad, but now I have received Jesus in my heart. There is joy in loving God”. These are the sentiments of a recent graduate of the Alpha Course held at Luderitz Prison.
The Graduation Ceremony of the Alpha Course in Leadership and Bible Studies was held on the 13th
of February and 50 inmates benefited from the programme. The course was run by Pastor Martin
Ganseb. Pastor Martin first began preaching in prisons in 2002. He was introduced to the Alpha
Course by Shane Porter in 2005 when it was first brought to Namibia. The Alpha Course was first
initiated in 1995 and it is a world-wide effort to bring God, “into prisons”. Pastor Martin began
teaching the course to the inmates of Luderitz prison in 2007 and has returned each year since to
give a two week long course on Bible Studies. Within the course there is also a special Leadership
Programme where some of the inmates can learn how to continue the cell group set up by the
Pastor during his time there. They are trained in pastoral care and ministry and trained how to lead
groups. The course itself was a voluntary, intensive two week long programme – 5 days a week,
9.00am until 3.00pm. In Bible Studies they read scriptures and discussed, “the questions of life”.
There was also counselling offered. Those following the Leadership Programme also had class on a
Saturday.

The Superintendent of the prison had this to say of the programme, “This programme was an
enormous task, so thank you to the Pastors and Sisters involved for the work they do. You can tell
when programme is in effect because the inmates are so compliant. Sometimes I even wish we could
put them in uniform and keep them here forever!”

There was a real sense of celebration and pride as the inmates went up one by one to receive their
certificates, for some they were the first in their family to have achieved something on paper. “You
will never be the same again after today”, said Sr. Elizabeth Wilskut, one of the course providers.
“Brothers, I’m so proud of you. Today is a celebration day. You will witness us dancing on the ceiling
later!” And I would have believed it! Pretty soon the entire congregation was up on its feet, singing
and dancing; praising their Saviour. Their singing was less than tuneful but there was an honesty and
a passion to it that made it beautiful. Members of the Spiritual Community also offered their
congratulations and advice for the future. Pastor Tony, amongst others, had this encouragement for
the graduates, “Outside there is a lot of temptation. I pray to God you can stay strong. But the fact
that you are here means there is hope for you. Always remember, God also wanted you to come
here. God wanted to use you here”. The entire ceremony was quite moving to witness and I wish
the graduates of the programmes all the luck in the world and hope they continue in their efforts
towards a, “radical change in (their) lives”.

Joining Forces

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 16:06:39 +0000

On the 3rd of February a meeting took place between the heads of security companies based in Luderitz and the police. The meeting was primarily set up in order to familiarise the various organisations with one another and strengthen the communication between them. It was an excellent opportunity for everyone to come together and discuss the problems that arise whilst striving to keep Luderitz crime-free.
There was a consensus that both parties must protect the citizens of Luderitz. They both agreed that particular attention has to be paid to the tourists that visit our town, especially during the FIFA World Cup 2010. The Station Commander stated simply that, “The police need the security guards and the security guards need the police. We have a symbiotic relationship. Although one party is paid by the government and the other is paid privately, they must join hands in the prevention of crime”.
The security companies raised the point that in order to work together fluidly, they must gain an understanding of how the police work and how to approach a crime scene. There are no official training centres for security guards in Luderitz, so the police urged the companies to come to them if they have any queries. With regards to how to behave at the scene of a crime, the police had this advice to offer,” Do not tamper with the scene. Contact us, and the ambulance if necessary, at once. Keep civilians away and if a weapon is lodged in the victim, do not touch it. You might do more harm than good. Leave it to the professionals. When the authorities arrive, hand the case over to them and report any information you possess. If the crime scene is car theft or a house that has been broken into, it is important to note that fingerprints can only be taken from sunrise until sunset. If the crime takes place during the night, preserve the scene until morning”.
Another issue raised at the meeting was the need for good communication between the security companies themselves. They are working towards a common cause and should see each other not as competitors, but as neighbours. There have been too many incidences of employees vandalising one another’s work place in order to secure more lucrative employment for themselves, or incidences of employers instructing their employees not to aid another company if they see a crime take place. There have even been cases of an employer assuring an employee that if they get injured outside of their particular area of work, they will not be medically compensated.
One other issue raised was the importance of clothing your employees in recognisable uniforms and ensuring that those uniforms are warm enough to be worn through the night. The police have come across security guards sleeping inside of bins in order to escape from the cold wind. There have even been occasions where one security guard has threatened another with a firearm because they put an extra jumper on and so were unrecognisable as working for the same company.
The next meeting will take place on the 3rd of March, 2.00pm at the Police Station.

Leadership Conference

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 14:49:40 +0000

From the 17th to 19th February another successful event was held at Luderitz Youth Centre to benefit the town’s youths. The leadership conference was attended by learners from Luderitz Secondary School and by many out of school youths; there were about thirty participants in total. The main aim of the programme was to enable youth to function effectively and responsibly today as youth leaders and later as leaders during their adulthood.
Reverend Scholtz, the Head of Centre opened the event by reminding the youths that the conference was an ‘opportunity for a healthy exchange of information, experiences, discussions, friendship, and an exploration of new methodologies and skills in handling youth issues. Our hope is that at the end of the workshop, we will have jointly found fresh ways and means to best collaborate within our environments to turn the objectives of this workshop into realities’.
Topics covered and discussed during the conference included leadership styles, vision, qualities of a leader, communication, conflict resolution, goal setting, HIV/AIDS, alcohol and drug abuse, computer education and viable youth programmes. Hopefully, future programmes will be created for the youth because of these discussions, which will benefit Luderitz as a whole. A special thanks needs to be extended to Scorpion Zinc for sponsoring the event.

Change of Pace

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 14:45:14 +0000

On Friday the 19th February many Luderitz schools took part in an interschool sports day, held at the soccer stadium. Learners from Brightstart Montessori, Helen Van Rhijn, Diaz Primary School, Nautilus Primary School, Luderitz Christian School and Luderitz secondary school all competed, most of them after training hard for the last few months. The day was filled with track and field events, and the crowds were kept amused by refreshments and a DJ. This is the first event of this kind and it was well attended and supported, the children all tried very hard in their events and their schools have supported them with training. At Diaz Primary School the children ran out past Valombola Kindergarten four times a week and the high school do athletics every day. This is a very positive event, as it promotes healthy living for the young people in Luderitz, and also gives them a chance to compete against their peers in their own schools and other schools.