Close to 100 vulnerable households in the Grunua settlement and surrounding farms in the ||Kharas Region can now put food on their tables, thanks to government drought relief food assistance. Each of these households has received two 12.5 kg bags of maize meal, along with fish tins and cooking oil, as part of the relief efforts.

The food assistance distribution exercise began at the start of last month. The Control Administrative Officer of the Grunua Settlement Office, Simasiku Muketo, mentioned that some of the most vulnerable families were excluded from receiving assistance due to not meeting the specified requirements.

"I think the only challenge, which we might say we have been experiencing, especially those we don't meet the requirement for, such as the elderly person, for instance, where the husband and wife are earning a social grant, which is more than N$2800, is that most of these people have fallout, but according to our discussion with the Office of the Prime Minister, a submission should be written to the Office of the Prime Minister to see how these people can be accommodated on the programme."

One of the beneficiaries interviewed by nbc News expressed gratitude to the government for providing much-needed food assistance during these challenging economic times.

"I am very happy. At this settlement, we are struggling to make ends meet due to unemployment. I am doing casual jobs, so I cannot put food on the table at all times due to the high prices of commodities. For instance, a bottle of cooking wine cost us N$50, while a tin of fish cost N$40. Therefore, I am very grateful to the office and government for the food assistance," says Benedictus Hartbees, a beneficiary. 

The Grunua settlement is home to approximately 900 residents, with a significant portion of them relying on government social grants for support.