{"id":40108,"date":"2022-12-02T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-01T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/steps.eliasarndt.de\/im-austausch-mit-der-autorin-erika-von-wietersheim\/"},"modified":"2022-12-02T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2022-12-01T22:00:00","slug":"in-exchange-with-the-author-erika-von-wietersheim","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stepsforchildren.de\/en\/im-austausch-mit-der-autorin-erika-von-wietersheim\/","title":{"rendered":"In exchange with the author Erika von Wietersheim"},"content":{"rendered":"

In conversation with the Namibian author Erika von Wietersheim<\/h2>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n

\u201eMy great wish is that the young people in Namibia do not lose hope.\u201c<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

How did you come up with this book title, what inspired you to do so?<\/h3>\n

Erika:<\/em> The book ends in 1990, on the day of independence. That day was a new beginning, an early morning, the start of the new\u00a0Namibia<\/a>. All the signs were reset, the government, the laws, the way we live together. Hence the title \u201eGood morning, Namibia!\u201c<\/p>\n

Namibia is a country very rich in culture, natural beauty and raw materials. Namibia mines and exports uranium and diamonds, as well as large quantities of copper, gold, lead and tin. Namibia\u2019s democracy is considered stable and the country is popular with tourists. Nevertheless, inequality is great. Even before the pandemic, 40 % of the population were considered poor. Many people here in the West cannot understand that. Why is poverty in Namibia still so widespread?<\/h4>\n

Erika:<\/em> Namibia\u2019s population is growing very quickly and there simply are not enough jobs. Especially as there is also a rapid influx into the cities. And the city administrations are completely overwhelmed in providing sufficient housing and services such as land, water and electricity.<\/p>\n

Namibia has also not yet managed to implement the set goal of industrialisation, to attract enough investors \u2013 through favourable and transparent conditions and well-trained workers. Growing corruption is unfortunately also playing a role. Now many are hoping for the production of green hydrogen, which is increasingly in demand all over the world. The Covid pandemic has unfortunately contributed to greater poverty. Many people have lost their jobs. And at the moment, rising living costs are also playing a major role. The rising inflation, also in Namibia, is unfortunately felt most terribly by the poorest sections of the population.<\/p>\n

What is the state doing to reduce poverty?<\/h4>\n

Erika:<\/em> Namibia does more than one might think:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Namibia is one of the few countries in Africa that pays a state pension to all residents over 60 years of age (about 80 euros per month)<\/li>\n
  • Likewise to war veterans, disabled people and vulnerable children such as orphans<\/li>\n
  • In 2015, even a ministry for poverty reduction was set up, which, while it did not change much structurally, helped more than 10,000 urban households with food banks over a long period.<\/li>\n
  • Namibia has also had a National School Feeding Programme in all regions since 1990; 370,000 pupils receive a hot meal every day during term time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Important projects such as Steps for Children are also part of poverty reduction. As are the many smaller initiatives run privately within Namibia.<\/p>\n

    What is the situation with education in Namibia? Is the state doing enough in this regard? How important is education for Namibia\u2019s future? And what else should the country do in education?<\/h2>\n

    Erika:<\/em> There is good and bad news: Namibia spends a lot of money on the education sector and 98 % of all children attend primary school. Girls are not disadvantaged; on the contrary, there are even more women at universities than men. On the other hand: education itself is poor, teachers are not well trained, schools are poorly equipped, and there are not enough classrooms. Nearly half of all schoolchildren cannot properly read, do maths and write after the 5th grade. Added to this is the high number of schoolgirls who become pregnant, which in turn is linked to poverty. The high spending on education does not seem to be bearing fruit. Poor education also contributes to 43 % of young people remaining unemployed.<\/p>\n

    What, in your opinion, are the most important steps for the country that lie ahead now? What would you wish for Namibia\u2019s future?<\/h4>\n

    Erika:<\/em> The consistent combating of corruption<\/strong>, so that trust in the government is restored. It is important that all Namibians, as it was in 1990, once again work together for a better future. Authorities such as politicians and chiefs still have a great influence here as role models, and if they are corrupt or appear to be, that leads to society falling apart.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    Secondly, I would like: A radical renewal of the education system<\/strong>, above all an investment in teacher training. Teachers must learn that they should not merely pass on memorised knowledge to children, but must lead them to thinking and reflection, to creativity and to self-awareness and a sense of responsibility. But to achieve that, teachers must first learn it themselves, because they have gone through a school system that did not teach them exactly that.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    And, very importantly: We must give the young people in our country jobs. <\/strong>Because they want to work. A few days ago, over 800 people were queueing up because three jobs were advertised at a factory. 800! Unemployment also has a direct impact on crime, alcoholism, drug use and the very high suicide rate in Namibia. What I wish most of all is that people, especially young people, do not give up hope.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    I know a young man; he comes from the poorest of circumstances and works for me in the garden from time to time. I am helping him to get his driving licence so that he has better chances of finding a job. Riaan is also a poet.<\/p>\n

    Here are a few lines from one of his many poems that he shows me or sends me:<\/p>\n

    Welcome to my life <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

    After the morning prayer<\/em><\/p>\n

    I am staring at the sunrise<\/em><\/p>\n

    I am from the darker side of the globe<\/em><\/p>\n

    Still holding on to this rope of hope<\/em><\/p>\n

    I live good days in a sad life<\/em><\/p>\n

    My face plays the friendly<\/em><\/p>\n

    But there are problems piling up<\/em><\/p>\n

    Behind that cute smile.<\/em><\/p>\n

    I came a long way together with famine<\/em><\/p>\n

    And my pen bleeds the ink<\/em><\/p>\n

    Tears run while I write this\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

    (After the morning prayer, I stare at the sunrise\/I live on the darker side of the globe, but I hold fast to the rope of hope\/in a sad life I also have good days, my face appears friendly but behind this nice smile worries are piling up\/I have long lived with hunger and from my pen the ink bleeds and while I write this, my tears flow\u2026)<\/em><\/p>\n

    My greatest wish is that young people in Namibia do not lose hope. That they do not let go of the rope of hope. But those of us who are better off must help to strengthen this rope. You in Germany are certainly doing that for many children and young people with the help of Steps for Children.<\/p>\n

    What should we, in your opinion, take home with us in our minds? What message would you like to leave us with at the end?<\/h4>\n

    Erika:<\/em> In Germany, a lot is done for Namibia and that is extremely important. But there are also things that people in Germany can learn from Namibia:<\/p>\n

    Not lose hope so quickly solidarity in difficult times of the pandemic and great hardship. Dealing with disasters like Corona, water shortages, drought \u2013 people help each other, they get stuck in, they save water and do not argue about washcloths. If there is not enough water, then water is saved. Most people here do not have a shower anyway and wash themselves daily with a washcloth. And are nevertheless spotlessly clean. One does not wait for the state to sort everything out, but helps oneself, one's family, one's friends, as best one can. There is less talking, accusing, waiting for help from outside or from the state.<\/p>\n

    \u00a0<\/p>\n

    Thank you very much, dear Erika!\u00a0<\/b><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Im Austausch mit der namibischen Autorin Erika von Wietersheim „Mein gro\u00dfer Wunsch ist es, dass die jungen Leute in Namibia nicht die Hoffnung verlieren.“ Wie kamst du auf diesen Buchtitel, was hat dich dazu animiert?\u200b Erika: Das Buch endet im Jahr 1990, mit dem Tag der Unabh\u00e4ngigkeit. Dieser Tag war ein Neuanfang, ein fr\u00fcher Morgen, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[29,30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-40108","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-informieren","category-steps-aktuell"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stepsforchildren.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40108","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stepsforchildren.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stepsforchildren.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stepsforchildren.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stepsforchildren.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40108"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.stepsforchildren.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40108\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stepsforchildren.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40108"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stepsforchildren.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40108"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stepsforchildren.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40108"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}