Chinese and Namibian officials posed with the learners who received Chinese-donated bags under the Panda Pack Project at Tobias Hainyeko Primary School in Windhoek, capital of Namibia on Sept. 24, 2019. (Xinhua/Musa C Kaseke)
What lovely gifts! Namibia's young learners have received 40,000 school bags under the Chinese Panda Pack Project. The bags that also come with stationery are hopefully to be of great help to students who used to carry learning materials in plastic bags. Officials say the donation conveys the Chinese people's kindness and will deepen the friendship between the two nations.
WINDHOEK, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Namibia, together with the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA), have handed over 40,000 bags under the Panda Pack Project, at Tobias Hainyeko Primary School in Windhoek.
Inside the donated packs were 105 stationery items. The donation was made on Tuesday.
The project, initiated by the CFPA and Namibia's One Economy Foundation with the support from Namibia's Ministry of Education, had donated 10,000 backpacks in 2018.
China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation Vice President Wang Xingzui (R), Namibia's Deputy Minister of Education, Arts and Culture Anna Nghipondoka (L), and Chinese Ambassador to Namibia Zhang Yiming (middle) posed for a photo during the launch ceremony of the Panda Pack Project at the Tobias Hainyeko Primary School in Windhoek on Sept. 24, 2019. (Xinhua/Musa C Kaseke)
Speaking at the event, Namibia's Deputy Minister of Education, Arts and Culture Anna Nghipondoka said that "learners who used to carry textbooks in plastic bags can now carry them safely in their backpacks, in turn, it will reduce textbook expenditure and realize the learner textbook ratio of 1:1."
Nghipondoka urged the beneficiaries to take great care of the bags and not consider the donation in lighter terms, but view it in a bigger picture of preventing damage to textbooks.
China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation Vice President Wang Xingzui showed the stationery in the bag at Tobias Hainyeko Primary School in Windhoek on Sept. 24, 2019. (Xinhua/Musa C Kaseke)
CFPA Vice President Wang Xingzui said the 40,000 packs are set to benefit learners in most of the regions of which the host school is the first recipient.
"The project in Namibia dedicates itself to convey Chinese people's kindness, to encourage people to people connectivity, and to deepen the friendship between the two nations," he added.
Chinese Ambassador to Namibia Zhang Yiming said considering that the Day of the Namibian Child will be celebrated on Sept. 28, the donation came at an opportune time.
Students from Tobias Hainyeko Primary School in Windhoek, Namibia sit with their new bags on Sept. 24, 2019. (Xinhua/Musa C Kaseke)
"I want to emphasize also that these donations came through the Alibaba online public welfare platform. I hope that students can enjoy this gift and continue to study hard and finally realize their dreams one day," he added.
Meanwhile, Zhang hopes that the program will continue and become a milestone in China-Namibia friendship and cooperation.■
