Children at Leevi Katoma Kindergarten in Okahwa Village, Tsandi Constituency, in the Omusati Region, are learning under difficult conditions, with no desks, books, or pens, forcing them to practice writing in the soil.

Established by parents in 2019, the community-led kindergarten closed in 2020 before reopening this year to restore access to early childhood education for children living far from government facilities.

A teacher, Ottilie Onesmus, however, said the lack of teaching materials has affected enrollment, as the number of enrollments dropped from 13 to 10.

Parents have tried to improve learning conditions by purchasing plastic chairs to prevent children from sitting directly on the ground.

However, the temporary classroom they constructed remains in poor condition, making it difficult to continue lessons during the rainy season and other periods of bad weather.

The lack of basic facilities also extends to sanitation, as neither learners nor the teacher have access to toilet facilities.
The kindergarten continues to operate as a community initiative, with parents striving to sustain early childhood education despite limited resources and inadequate infrastructure.

Onesmus said she had obtained registration forms from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare.

She is appealing to well-wishers for assistance as the kindergarten awaits official registration and access to government support.