Cultivating discipline, positivity and a great value system

Otis Daniels_Finck
FNB Namibia supported a collaborative effort between the Shotokan Karata Academy International (SKIA) and the Namibia Children’s Home (NCH) with N$103 200 for the year 2019 - 2020.

Karate classes were given to 24 children staying at the NCH.

Willem Burger of SKAI said that the programme aims to positively influence lives, and to better prepare members for the challenges that the modern world presents.

“SKAI is serious about preparing the Namibian youth and senior karateka with skills, values and character traits that will enable them to survive physical threats and also act as a moral compass in this complex world. Our mission and passion is children, and our focus is discipline and helping to establish a positive self-image and value system.”

Although 2020 posed its own challenges in terms of classes and attendance thereof, grading ceremonies for the NCH karateka were held in November and December.

“We are very strict regarding this process and only NCH karateka who trained regularly (a register was kept of class attendance) were invited to the grading where some grades were confirmed, and some grades were promoted.”

Only 17 of the 24 karateka were graded.

“We are convinced that in future, class attendance will improve as we have now demonstrated that we will not grade karateka should class attendance not be satisfactorily,” Burger said.

FNB Namibia expressed its satisfaction with the programme and progress made.

“We believe that this programme will assist in helping to prepare confident, respectful and disciplined young adults for our country. This investment in our youth in terms of their health and personal development is commendable and I have no doubt that the investment in these young people will make us proud in the years to come. We are convinced that the positive impact which we had in the 2019 – 2020 period will be compounded,” said Revonia Kahivere, Group Corporate Social Investment Manager, at FirstRand Namibia Limited.