THE MVA Fund has committed to sponsoring six students from the Hardap Region to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Emergency Medical Care over six years.
Deputy Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Evelyn !Nawases-Taeyele, announced this during the official commissioning of donated firefighting vehicles and an ambulance by the Municipal Council of Murcia, Spain, and the MVA Fund of Namibia at Mariental on Monday.
According to !Nawases-Taeyele, the Fund and the Municipality will be awarding three bursaries, bringing the total number of recipients to six.
The MVA Fund has provided two Emergency Care Practitioners who are already stationed at the Mariental Municipality/MVA Response Centre, and another four candidates are to be trained as Emergency Care Practitioners at a basic level, bringing the total number of paramedics at the Response Centre to ten,” she said.
She explained that the government, through their ministry, being the sector ministry responsible for local authorities in the country, has over the years contributed to the upliftment of Emergency and Disaster Risk Management through infrastructural development, provision of firefighting equipment, and capacity building of personnel.
!Nawases-Taeyele added that this support aims to upgrade firefighting services through the construction of fire stations, subsidization of firefighting trucks and equipment, and training for Local Authorities.
Therefore, she said this timely donation is a significant contribution towards improving the capacity of the Mariental Fire Fighting and Rescue services and improving the ability to protect the lives of people.
It is another good example of how different sectors can work together with the government in finding solutions for challenges that confront our citizens on a daily basis
Further, she said the National Government, Central, Regional, and Local government can achieve more through partnerships with stakeholders.
!Nawases-Taeyele said this project is an accomplishment towards improving access to fire services and expediting services during times of tragedy.
Hence, the Minister said that this project will not only benefit the residents of Mariental and the Hardap region, whose lives and properties will be protected, but will also enhance the capacity of firefighters who will handle the technical operation of the vehicles.
She then called upon all firefighters, safety officers, and responsible members of society to recommit themselves to saving lives and livelihoods and to ensure that all segments of their communities are protected, especially the most vulnerable – the disabled, women, girls, the elderly, and the marginalized.