Strike in Namibia

Here in Namibia, there is a teacher’s strike taking place throughout the country. Since Tuesday, no teachers have been working. The students are at school all alone, with no one leading them. The teachers are asking the Ministry of Education for pay increases – they claim they cannot support themselves properly on their current salaries. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, I am also required to stay off school grounds during the strike.

The strike makes me think about the human condition and how we are never quite satisfied…..being in Namibia makes me realize how very materially pleasant my life in the U.S. was. Here it is a real luxury to have your own car or own home – and so many people do not have proper food or basic staples such as soap, toothpaste or school supplies. Yet, sadly, when I was in the U.S., I took all of this for granted. I was often wanting what I didn’t have – to serve overseas. Now of course I miss the amenities of the U.S. This happens over and over again. Even amongst the Peace Corps Volutneers here – those of us in villages envy those in larger towns or on the coast for having a posh life and access to amenities. Those in the city regret that they are not having the “real Peace Corps experience.”

And now that I am not allowed to be on the school grounds, I realize how much I miss teaching and working with my students. But that gratitude and appreciation is sometimes missing while I AM at school. We often want what we don’t have…so the question is, how can we be present and grateful for what we do have? And how can we use our own privilege to be allies for those who do not have a voice?

Here at my site, I live with a homestay family that has very little. It is a grandmother supporting two children. It became clear right away that the family is suffering. I have helped as I can, and others from home have helped as well. But what is a sustainable solution? Fortunately, I thought, there are government programs that can help. It is not, however, that easy. When I called the Ministory of Gender and Child Welfare, I was told it would take 3 weeks for a social worker to visit the family – then it will take 2-3 months for the “emergency” food support to be distributed from the government. Even then, it is only a 3-4 month supply of food. For people that are truly hurting, this timeframe really doesn’t help them. Retired people like my host grandmother earn N$500 per month, which is only $63 USD. This is barely enough to buy staple foods, let alone to pay for utilities, clothing, school supplies, school fees, basics such as soap and household products, etc. I have heard many people here even say that things were better under the apartheid system – because then things were much more affordable. From the U.S. perspective where freedom is often among our top values, I find it hard to believe that you could place a value on affordable goods over your own independence. Yet, when one lives in poverty, your material needs are your number one thought and goal. I see that as the root of most social issues. In my community, so many people live in poverty, and this can contribute to a downward spiral of alcoholism, teenage pregnancy, HIV transmission, less planning and preparation for the future, despair and lack of hope, etc.

It is within this context that a few messages emerge - to work to be satisfied with what we have, to advocate for social justice and an end to poverty, and to do what we can to ally and accompany others on their journey towards realizing their human rights.