Rundu — While financial constraints have been cited as one of the main obstacles that hamper development in the Kavango Region, Chief Regional Officer Sebastian Kantema, says progress has been made though at a snail's pace.

Kantema told New Era that the region has recorded development at different levels and is slowly blossoming.

One such area of development, the chief regional officer said, is the support being given to small-scale farmers. So far, 10 boreholes have been drilled in the region particularly to assist such farmers.

However, there have been delays in setting up appropriate infrastructure by the responsible ministry. Such delays, Kantema says, hinder progress of small-scale farmers hence poverty still haunts most of them.

Kavango Region, despite being an agricultural area, is home to poor people with 30.3 percent of households being deprived of aspects of human life considered to be prerequisites for human development, United Nations Development Programme says.

The Regional Council, Kantema said, has been busy identifying ways in which it can assist the people of the region to free themselves from poverty.

Recently, regional councillors availed N$171930 for 12 income-generating projects approved recently for the people of the region.

Kantema says the funds will help small groups of mainly women who have come together to run income-generating projects such as poultry farming, brick-making and vegetable gardening.

"This should alleviate poverty and as a regional council, we are there to assist the Government in addressing poverty issues in our region," Kantema added.

Private companies are also constructing two shopping malls at the town of Rundu, which Kantema says will change the image of the main town in the region.

Once inaugurated, hopefully before the end of the year, the malls will attract big chain shops and that will help the people of Rundu in that there will be no need for them to travel to other towns such as Grootfontein and Tsumeb, where they usually go shopping for items that are currently not available in Rundu.

The Chief Regional Officer also said preparations are underway to proclaim Divundu a town. According to Kantema, once that takes place, problems encountered by that area particularly the provision of water and electricity will be eliminated.

Another plan in the pipeline is the establishment of what Kantema described as a comprehensive school. The school will mainly train the youth in different fields in a region where unemployment is estimated at over 20 percent.

Although he could not indicate how much the establishment of such a school will cost, Kantema said the feasibility study for the project started already in the Mukwe constituency.

He also reported that the construction of the Rundu-Siko road is going on well.

The road will connect the region to other northern regions and that is likely to boost trade among the people of the regions.