Currently there are no sports development programmes for children in the town of Luderitz. This programme intends to:

• develop the soccer skills of children from an early age on

•teach the children discipline and team spirit

• keep the children off the streets

• encourage them to develop a sense of responsibility

• develop soccer specific skills of boys and girls in a various age groups, i.e. u/11, u/13, u/15 and u/17

• provide the orphans and vulnerable children with opportunities to experience fun and a feeling of belonging

• provide their parents an opportunity to enjoy watching their children play and learn the basics of football in an organized manner

• accommodate the local street kids.

The beneficiaries of this programme will be all the children that are participating. The local schools will also have fitter and better prepared school teams, the Karas Region of which Luderitz is part of and of course national teams will benefit from being able to recruit children from Luderitz. The community at large will benefit in the following ways:

• The children will be monitored and assisted by coaches who are qualified and have the sport at heart.

• The parents will have an opportunity to attend well organized soccer games.

• It could serve as an opportunity for people to sell soft drinks and other refreshments to generate an income.

• This programme brings the community together to interact on a social level and to support their children which can result in better parenting.

The Luderitz Soccer Academy has been established by Mr. Bessly Makaula, who holds an International High Level Soccer Coaching License obtained in Hennef, Germany in 2001. Mr. Makaula was the Namibia School Sport Union’s national coach from 2006-2008 for the u/17 girls (2006) and u/17 boys (2007&2008) teams. He will serve this program as its coordinator and head coach and will be assisted by willing teachers of the local schools.

The Academy intends to host three local tournaments for each age group and one regional tournament in Luderitz for 2009. The Academy will be free of charge to children and will depend on donations, sponsors and fundraising events to sustain the program.

With the help of local and international donations and sponsorships, we plan to sustain this program on a long term basis.

The program will be conducted on Fridays and Saturdays for eight months during the year. Each age group will have 6 teams per gender and will play 25 games per gender

The café itself is a large airy room with three walls of windows and one wall painted a light green giving the whole room a fresh feel, added to by the potted plants in the corners and the large orchids on each table. If Diaz Coffee Shop is epitomised by the warm dark aroma of coffee then Sea Breeze is a refreshing glass of orange juice, light, bright and healthy.

The menu offers a mixture of light breakfasts and lunches, toasted sandwiches and a small selection of sweet things as well as a range of cold drinks, milkshakes and coffees. Meals cost an average of around N$35 giving good value for money considering the mountain of food given on each plate and we feel it may just be the perfect place to stop for lunch after a hard mornings work.

Club Sandwich (triple toast with chicken, mayonnaise, bacon, cheese, tomato and lettuce. Served with chips): More is not always necessarily better. This is a fact that kills many club sandwiches which go overboard on the amount of filling. At Sea breeze however I find a well filled club sandwich that stays on the right side of that fine-line. Impressive was the freshness of the vegetables, something that, as we all know, is very hard to maintain in Lüderitz. The value for money score is high, a decent size lunch that is guaranteed to satisfy your hunger at a decent price.

Sea Breeze Burger (meat patty, fried onion, tomato, lettuce, fried mushroom, cheese and gherkins. Served with chips): A burger is one of those age old foods that has been done so many times and in so many different ways (the Cajun burger, the bacon burger, the royale with cheese and so on) that many restaurants spend large amounts of time and money struggling to come up with a new and exciting way to present a meat patty between two buns. However the Sea Breeze burger suggest that in fact the very best way to make a burger is in the good old traditional way; piled high with meat and fresh vegetables and smothered in a delicious blanket of melted cheese the meal pushes every button. The chips are crispy and lightly salted, a far cry from the soggy vinegar soaked delicacies that I’m used to in England, and my only criticism is that the meal is impossible to fit into your mouth in one go, making for a very cheesy, collapsed mess on my plate- delicious!

Iced Coffee: Sea Breeze Café is on of the few places that actually puts a scoop of ice-cream in their iced coffee. This certainly adds a nice flavour to the coffee. However a good ice coffee is hard to come by since coffee tends to loose it’s aroma when chilled. The ice coffee at Sea Breeze is tasty and certainly worth a try, but if you enjoy a cold drink with some ice cream in it, I would recommend the milkshakes rather than the iced coffee.

Chocolate Caramel Cake: Sea Breeze Café may not have the biggest selection of cakes in town but it does have a special cake of the day, made fresh every morning and different every day. On the day of our review the baked treat was a chocolate caramel cake. Served in huge slices this cake was soft and moist and the caramel topping thick and creamy. The taste was a little bland but the sheer quantity of food given certainly makes up for that fact.

If you would like to put our taste buds to the test and be reviewed by The Buchter News please contact us on info@buchternews.com

Although first set up by Peace Corps Volunteers Padraic Gerety and Jacob Saur the film night is now being run by an intuitive group of High School kids who are eager to create a way of entertaining themselves. “Lüderitz doesn’t have a movie theatre”, said one youth, “so we though we’d just make our own”.

Held in the German Hall of the Youth Art and Culture Centre the makeshift cinema, which comes in the form of a blank white wall, a projector and a laptop, will be running films every Friday night from 6.30pm onwards. Films are chosen by the High School film committee who are open to suggestions (although please be aware that as this night is designed for under 18s films of an explicitly violent or sexual nature are unlikely to get shown) and no payment is asked for.

Ok so it may not have plush red seats, surround sound and pitch darkness (trying to totally black out the setting sun in the German Hall proved to be a challenge too far for the movie crew) but sitting in front of a large screen, munching chips and popcorn and watching a funny movie with your mates is definitely the next best thing.

The Elago Group Soup Kitchen has recently been catering for over 200 people, a record number for an organisation which is run by only four people. The kitchen, held in the Benguela Hall, runs every Tuesday and Thursday from 12 pm to 2 pm and seeks to feed the orphaned, elderly and needy within the Lüderitz community. In the future the Elago Group hopes to expand by running three days a week and possibly establishing a link with other soup kitchens within Lüderitz, The Buchter News commends the group for doing the community such a valuable service.

]]> http://www.buchternews.com/2009/03/soups-up/feed/ 0 http://www.buchternews.com/2009/03/spca/ http://www.buchternews.com/2009/03/spca/#comments Thu, 12 Mar 2009 13:07:42 +0000 admin http://www.buchternews.com/?p=229 People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets

Chocolate, Macadamia nuts …these foods may sound delicious to you, but are actually quite dangerous to our animal companions.

Chocolate, Coffee, Caffeine: These products all contain substances called methylxanthines, which are found in cacao seeds, the fruit of the plant used to make coffee and in the nuts of an extract used in some sodas. When ingested by pets, methylxanthines can cause vomiting and diarrhoea, panting, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and even death. Note that darker chocolate is more dangerous than milk chocolate. White chocolate has the lowest level of methylxanthines, while baking chocolate contains the highest.

Alcohol Alcoholic beverages and food products containing alcohol can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, decreased coordination, central nervous system depression, difficulty breathing, tremors, abnormal blood acidity, coma and even death.

Macadamia Nuts: Macadamia nuts are commonly used in many cookies and candies. However, they can cause problems for your canine companion. These nuts have caused weakness, depression, vomiting, tremors and hyperthermia in dogs. Signs usually appear within 12 hours of ingestion and last approximately 12 to 48 hours.

Grapes & Raisins: Although the toxic substance within grapes and raisins is unknown, these fruits can cause kidney failure. In pets who already have certain health problems, signs may be more dramatic. Yeast Dough Yeast dough can rise and cause gas to accumulate in your pet’s digestive system. This can be painful and can cause the stomach or intestines to rupture. Because the risk diminishes after the dough is cooked and the yeast has fully risen, pets can have small bits of bread as treats. However, these treats should not constitute more than 5 percent to 10 percent of your pet’s daily caloric intake

On Saturday the 14th Men 4 Change set off for a night of camping at Sturmvogelbucht. After initial hiccups were overcome (for example, the TV brought along was sent back to house with the principal) Men 4 Change started the hike, which would eventually take about 3 hours. After arriving in Sturmvogelbucht it was time for lunch and a little bit of a rest, which was mainly planned for the accompanying adults since the kids preferred to get the soccer ball out straight away. Most of the afternoon was filled with a soccer competition between team “Super Strikers” (also known as team blue) and “The Other Team”.

Soccer was followed by swimming in the freezing sea, while the fog made sure that getting out of the sea wasn’t much of a relief either, but the hot coffee afterwards warmed up the bodies and spirits.

The evening was spent playing a game of capture the flag, the absence of the moon proved to make it impossible to find the actual flag and it was not until the new rule “no one can be tagged anymore just find the flag” was initiated that the flag was found. The rest of the evening was filled with marshmallow eating and a discussion.

The next day the alarm was set for 6 o’clock in the morning and after a quick breakfast it was time for a short expedition to Angra Point. And than it was time for the hike back, which – to the surprise of many – went even faster than on the way there.

Overall the camping weekend will be referred to as very successful, and even after the long hike back spirits were high!

Namibia over the last 19 years:

Population: Whilst Namibia is still one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world (second only to Mongolia) its population has seen a steady increase since 1990 and is predicted to grow at a much faster rate in the future as the country continues to develop. In 1991 the population was estimated to be 1.4 million and by 2011 it is predicted to be approximately 2.3 million, indicating a growth of almost 1 million people in twenty years.

Economy: Perhaps the most significant economic change is the transformation of the tourist industry. Within the last 19 years tourism has experienced a boom as more and more people become aware of what Namibia has to offer. Although tourism currently makes up a relatively small percentage of the countries economy it is likely to see a huge increase in the future as the countries infrastructure continues to improve and international travel becomes easier.

Mentality: The most obvious change in mentality that Namibians have made is the attitude towards race. The country is now almost two decades on from the end of apartheid and for much of the population life is drastically different. Black people have more opportunities, be it social or economic, than ever before and the income gap between black, white and coloured people has been significantly reduced. However, Namibia is still a very young country and it is likely to take more than 19 years for the oppression that apartheid brought to be forgotten and for all members of Namibia’s population to consider themselves equals.

Namibia is still a young country and for much of the population the countries independence is something that happened within their lifetime.

From 4 – 6 March, a three day Leadership Workshop was held at the Luderitz Youth Centre by the Ministry of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture (MYNSSC) in a drive to impart leadership skills to Luderitz’s secondary school learners.

Training was given to 20 prefects from the Luderitz Christian and Luderitz Secondary Schools. The aim of the event was to enable the leaders to function effectively and responsibly today as youth leaders and later as leaders in adulthood as well as improving their communication skills and learn how to deal with conflict.

After the initial opening of the workshop, the group began with a session by Mr. Scholtz and Mrs. Wilskut on “Leadership and Vision”, followed by an exercise titled “Living on Purpose,” in which participants were asked to consider what purpose they had in their own lives and thus what would drive their attempt to lead others. At this point, Mrs. Wilskut also gave each learner a journal so that they could write about their experiences during the next three days. The final session of the day, “Communication,” was an exercise given by Mr. Gerety, where participants were exposed to different speaking styles, and then asked to list good communication skills. The learners concluded that a leader must be clear, respectful, and positive, must use eye contact and body language, and must allow for feedback.

Mr. Scholtz’s began the second day with “Conflict Resolution,” a session which encouraged learners to think about constructive ways to resolve confrontations. The next workshop, “Passive- Aggressive-Assertive,” continued in the same vein and Mr. Gerety led an activity in which learners acted out difference behavioural styles and discussed which appeared to be the best response to conflict. HIV/ AIDS was also addressed as part of an exploration of today’s social issues.

The final day of the Leadership Workshop began with the session “Your Goals,” in which Mr. Scholtz led a discussion on the importance of setting goals in order to bring about real change and implement worthwhile programmes. Learners then worked individually to plan out a short and long term goal so that they would gain practice in envisioning their futures. “Qualities of a Leader,” was the final session of the event and had the learners work in groups to choose three leaders that they admire. The leaders chosen were Luderitz’s local Principal Crystal Jantjies, Captain Hendrik Witbooi, and Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., who, despite their very different paths in life, have all commanded respect and had the virtuous qualities needed to lead.

Participants provided positive feedback on the workshop and agreed that they had found it very helpful in their understanding of what it takes to be a leader.

This event was made possible by yet another generous donation from Seaflower White Fish Corporation, and the Luderitz Youth Centre extends its deepest thanks for being given the opportunity to develop the Luderitz Youth

The Luderitz Youth Centre’s newly renovated container office, or “Youth Room,” has received a significant upgrade through the donation of a DSTV plan by Marco Fishing co. on 4 March 2009. The company’s HR Representative, Otto Shipanga, handed over the plan to Jan Scholtz, Acting Head of Centre, as a sign of the company’s commitment to youth development.

The Youth Room was initially a pair of large containers that were delivered to the Centre late last year, but has undergone extensive improvements since that time. As part of this process, the Centre’s Art Instructor, Chika Kirihara, had her students decorate the container last month in order to make it more appealing to the youth. The room itself was implemented due to the feeling that the Luderitz youth need a positive environment, as there are not enough safe spaces where they can relax, congregate. Thus, the donation of a DSTV package is quite important as it will be both entertaining and informative for the youth due to the educational programming it offers.

This donation has been just one of several from Marco Fishing co. and so the Luderitz Youth Centre would like its most sincere thanks. This company has been excellent at fulfilling its social responsibility and we hope other companies will share its desire to assist Namibia’s youth. The Luderitz Youth Centre calls on all of Luderitz’s youth to visit the Youth Room and take advantage of its resources when it opens in April.

]]> http://www.buchternews.com/2009/03/yacc-receives-dstv/feed/ 0 http://www.buchternews.com/2009/03/youth-participation-in-democratic-governance/ http://www.buchternews.com/2009/03/youth-participation-in-democratic-governance/#comments Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:36:37 +0000 admin http://www.buchternews.com/?p=208 By Reverend Jan Scholtz

From my point of view the role of youth in a democracy is to be evaluators of all systems, be it political, economic or otherwise. In order to do this, the youth must be morally upright, possessing correct reasoning and acceptable behaviour. Youths who are integral part of a democratic society need to be a driving force in social, economic and political change. They should be of an independent mind, free from manipulation from anybody; it is not any use to have youths who can not stand on their own but are constantly being used to foster ideals which are not their own.

The behaviour portrayed by some youths so far can be compared to the image of a person who jumps upwards and then starts looking for somewhere to land on, but by logical reason you have to see where you are going to land before jumping.  It is because of this that youths have engaged themselves in activities that have backfired on them.

Young people have a moral obligation to introspect themselves, they need to ask themselves questions like what can we offer to our country? Are we ready to take responsibility for our actions? Why is there always a tendency to blame the status quo for our shortcomings? For instance are we too lazy even to register as voters and to physically vote? The youth, as young and energetic people, really have the duty to strengthen democracy, particularly as democracy is something which grows from one level to the next.

Let us be a sector that cannot be ignored by constructively participating in any decision-making process. Let us create a situation whereby our leaders would have trust in us – by us showing our ability to do the right things at the right time. It is time that we become engineers of our destiny, it becomes difficult to speak of our role when we fail to take charge of our destiny.  Let us work hard, and ensure that our leaders have confidence in us and then finally our town/region/country will become what it ought to be through us.

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