2019 The Rössing The Rössing Foundation Foundation www.rossingfoundation.com Ms Clara Bohitile Acting Chairperson of 01 Acting Chairperson’s Message the Board of Trustees A message from Ms Clara Bohitile, the Acting Chairperson. 02 - 03 Executive Director’s Message A message from Job Tjiho on overall achievements of the Rössing Foundation. Acting 05 - 07 About the Rössing Foundation Chairperson More information about the Founda- tion and its focus areas of activity. 08 - 09 Visit to the State House A highlight for the Rössing Foundation dur- ing 2019 was a visit to the State House. 10 - 23 Education Development Programmes Information on Teachers’ and Message Learners’ Support Programmes 24 - 28 Enterprise Development Programmes Enterprise development forms an important part of the Rössing Foundation’s activities. 29 Community Support Programmes How the community of Arandis was supported by the Rössing Foundation. Welcome to all our stakeholders. It is therefore with pride that I serve as the Acting Chairperson of the Rössing Foundation’s The role that corporate businesses play in Board of Trustees. We are extremely proud of supporting communities through corporate what we have achieved thus far in collaboration social investment (CSI) activities cannot with CNNC Rössing Uranium and our many Contents be underestimated. As corporates seek partners. social licence to operate through their CSI programmes, so communities seek their The 2019 Annual Report gives our benefactors involvement to improve their livelihoods. It’s and beneficiaries a clear overview of our an interdependence and beautiful symbiotic ongoing activities in supporting education, relationship that benefit both parties. enterprise development and communities during 2019. The partnership between CNNC Rössing Uranium and the Rössing Foundation is an The Rössing Foundation has established a outstanding example that companies and solid reputation as a well-managed CSI vehicle Contents organisations can follow when looking at best and we are humble that in our small way, the practices for their CSI activities. Foundation has made — and continue to make — a real difference in the lives of Namibians. The Rössing Foundation ii Annual Report 2019 01 Job Tjiho Executive Director economic downturn during 2019. The economic dedicated and serious committed to serve our woes also affected the broader operations communities, especially the most disadvantaged of the Rössing Foundation, as many of the who otherwise would have been left out of benefactors experienced financial challenges development initiatives. Although the economy and could barely honour their corporate social strained many corporates, some such as responsibility commitments. The different Nedbank, Tyre 2000 and the China National Education Direc torates were not able to Nuclear Corporation Limited (CNNC) Rössing financially honour the memoranda with Rössing Uranium mine, still supported the Foundation to Foundation that drive and guide the support to carry out its mandate. schools in the different regions of Namibia. The Rössing Foundation Board of Trustees As much as the financial challenges were and management will fail in their duties difficult to overcome, the Rössing Foundation if recognition and a great thank you have continued its commitment to assisting the not been poured to Rössing Uranium who Government of the Republic of Namibia established the Rössing Foundation and to by contributing to improved primary and continually providing financial and institutional secondary education, the development of the support. workforce and assisting with the diversification of the economy. Further support was provided Furthermore, we wish to thank the Ministry of to small- and medium-scale enterprises, Education, Arts and Culture, Nedbank, Tyre agriculture and the roll-out of the astronomy 2000, Social Security Commission, Peace Corps, outreach programme as part of the Africa UNICEF, US Embassy and Total Namibia who Millimetre Telescope initiative. made it possible for the Foundation to reach Executive out to rural communities and schools through Fulfilling the aspirations of the pioneers and However, with little available in-house resources, the Mobile Laboratory. Director’s Rössing Uranium mine in Namibia. as well as smart thinking from the Director Message of Kavango West Education Directorate, the As always, we welcome your feedback on our In the 2019 Annual Report we are sharing with the Foundation was able to support one of the activities, as well as recommendations in areas entire nation, our partners and benefactors the needy schools in that region. that we might have missed. We also invite all services the Rössing Foundation has rendered to possible benefactors and partners to join the Namibian communities. We believe that the best way to have a Rössing Foundation in supporting the many long-lasting impact in the development of a Namibians who otherwise would not have had We are aware that all sectors in Namibia, nation is to have strategic partnerships with opportunities to improve their livelihood in Message including the public sector, were strained by the companies, organisations and individuals realising their dreams. The Rössing Foundation 02 Annual Report 2019 03 ABOUT THE RÖSSING FOUNDATION The first Chairman of Rössing Uranium mine, Mr Ronald (Ronnie) Walker clearly stated that the A group of teachers, parents and other community members during the training of School common loyalty and purpose, without which no nation Boards of the Hardap Education Directorate, Hardap Region. can survive, depends on having something worthwhile to defend, such as a decent standard of living and individual freedom to enjoy it. He further stated that the one thing a corporate can do for a country is to The Foundation focuses mainly on programmes provide education to the people of that country. and projects which are aligned to the four mandates below: Historically, many employees for them, particularly in rural of Rössing Uranium mine came communities. Education Education Beneficiation Livelihood and Enterprise General Directives from as far as hundreds of Development kilometres away, from all corners It was against that philosophy To further the education To encourage the To promote the To do any act or thing, of Namibia, and were housed in that Mr Walker and the Board of Namibians in order to creation and/or to create advancement of the which in the opinion of Arandis, a town that was built for of Rössing Uranium esta blished achieve greater national opportunities for people living standards of the the Trustees shall benefit workers in 1976. a Trust known as the Rössing productivity and to to use their education. people in Namibia. Namibia or any or all of enhance lifelong learning. its inhabitants. Foundation. This situation led Rössing to establish an entity that would The Rössing Foundation was In order to align programmes and projects to these mandates, the Rössing Foundation directs its efforts mainly serve communities from areas established in 1978 through to the following: where the miners hailed from. a Deed of Trust to serve as • the improvement of primary and secondary education through the implementation of centre-based and The entity was to provide greater a vehicle for overseeing and national outreach teacher and learner capacity support programmes; educational opportunities for implementing Rössing Uranium’s • the development of the local workforce and of specialised vocational skills through the provision of Namibians in order to impart corporate social responsibility scholar ships, apprenticeship and part-time study opportunities; and practical skills that would create activities in Namibia. • the diversification and strengthening of the local economy through support to small- and medium-scale better economic opportunities enterprises and agriculture. The Rössing Foundation 04 Annual Report 2019 05 SOCIAL learners who, due to poverty and INNOVATION Environmental Sustainability Food Production and TRANSFORMATION long distances, could not benefit AND ENTERPRISE Employment Opportunities THROUGH from the state-of-the-art English DEVELOPMENT Support to Okombahe The Rössing Foundation, in EDUCATION language, Mathematics and Community partnership with the Social Science Centres in Erongo and Support to Small- and The Okombahe Community Security Commission, has been Centre-Based Support Oshana Regions. Medium Enterprises (SME) Debushing Enterprise (OCDE) is supporting two agricultural “An invest- The Rössing Foundation continues in Erongo Region a community-based organisation enterprises in Oshikuku and to strengthen the capacity of To answer this need, a Mobile The Rössing Foundation, in that was established with the Ogongo in the Omusati Region. ment in teachers and learners through Laboratory support programme partnership with the Erongo purpose of harvesting Prosopis knowledge support to Namibian schools in was introduced to support rural Development Foundation, trees in the Omaruru River The Oshikuku enterprise is run identified challenging subject schools in Namibia. continued to provide collateral basin for wood and fodder by women, striving to achieve pays the best areas such as the English funding, business development for environmental, social and success with producing and selling language, Mathematics and the In addition, a new outreach services and marketing linkage economic gain. produce to the local market, while interest.” Sciences at its Education Centres activity was initiated to