Important that senior citizens become members of WBECA

Rudi Bowe

Walvis Bay Elderly Citizens Association (WBECA) urges citizens in the harbour town over the age of 60 years to become members of the organization. Registration is a once off N$20 per application, and will enable senior citizens to have access to prepaid water meters, to have information on proper housing and available space in old age homes, among others.

WBECA was founded on 12 April this year, and its core aim is to be the voice of the elderly, regardless of race, religion or political affiliation. WBECA operates under the auspices of Namibia Senior Citizens Association (NASCA).
The Chairperson of WBECA Ms. Fransina Fredericks earlier this week told Namib Times it is important that the harbour town’s public know about WBECA. Since its establishment an estimated 50 % of local senior citizens have joined WBECA.
“We were tasked by the Walvis Bay Mayor Cllr. Trevino Forbes and his team to list the elderly who are in need of prepaid water and electricity meters, elderly in need of decent housing or those who is in need of staying at an old age home or facilities”, Fredericks explained.
According to Fredericks, WBECA are in consultation with the Walvis Bay municipality for some benefits for the elderly and are also negotiating on their behalf with the local authority over overdue water bills.
Adding the Walvis Bay Municipality is in a process to build an old age home in Narraville and to expand the Kuisebmond old age home.
The municipality is also busy to systematically install prepaid water meters at the houses of some of the pensioners in Narraville. All the pensioners that are residing in Narraville that would like to have prepaid water meters installed must contact Ms Helen Damants at 081 378 8001.
Ms Fredericks says they would like to serve the elderly in the harbor town to the best of their abilities. A call was also made for local institutions and the business community to invest funds into infrastructure to cater for the elderly.
“We would for instance like to purchase prepaid generating machines, to take the service of buying water and electricity to the elderly. Not only will that comfort the lives of our elderly, but it would also generate funds for WBECA to carry out its mandate.
Background:
Namibia Senior Citizens Association (NASCA), a non-Governmental organization was established in 2008 to be the voice for the elderly in Namibia.
The responsibilities of the NASCA are to unite all pensioners in the different ethnic groups in Namibia, and to work closely with the local political leadership, social workers, health centers, churches and business communities.
The NSCA is represented in the Erongo-, Oshikoto-, Kunene-, Otjozondjupa-, Khomas-, Omaheke-, //Karas- and Hardap Regions.

The organisation is guided by the fundamentals of the United Nations Principles for Older Persons, adopted by the UN General-Assembly under Resolution 46/91 of 16 December 1991. It encourages Governments to incorporate the principles into their national programs, in order to uplift and maintain the quality of life of elderly citizens.
The elderly at Utuseb near Rooibank can contact Ms Magdalena Garoës at 081 846 0544 with all their concerns, as she is under the auspices of the WBECA.
The Committee Members of the Walvis Bay Elderly Citizens Association are: The Chairperson Ms. Fransina Fredericks (081 576 9690); the Deputy Chairperson Mr. Edward Marakia (081 660 9488); The Secretary Emilie Amweelo (081 261 2772); Deputy Secretary Ms. Bertha Haragaes; the Treasurer Willem Eiseb and Deputy Treasurer Ms. Godhardine Gei≠Nus. The Branch Coordinator is Mr. Tostao Imbili and Additional Members are Jeanette Tjizumaue, Christina Jacobs, Johanna Sophia Vries, Magdelena Gammatham, Phillip ≠Neib, Emma Isaacks, Susana Samuel, Ursula Geinus, Daniël Kamati and Isak Kahatjipara.