Registration of Prospective Veterans
The entry point for Veterans Affairs to channel its support programmes to veterans and dependents of veterans is registration. Registration enables Veterans Affairs to capture and process data of applicants so that prospective veterans are accorded to a veteran’s status by the Veterans Board. Furthermore, registration of veterans and dependents enables the Government to know the number of veterans in the country, where they live and their living conditions.
Approval of Prospective Veterans
Before the prospective veterans begun to benefit from the various programmes and projects of Veterans Affairs, they have to be accorded to the status of a veterans of the national liberation as per the Veterans Act (No 2 of 2008). The approval of prospective veterans and dependents of veterans is done by the Veterans Board, a body that is also entrusted to, amongst others, administer the Veterans Fund and approve benefits given to the veterans.
Provision of Financial Assistance to Veterans
To improve the economic well-being of the veterans and dependents of veterans, Veterans Affairs provides financial assistance to veterans of the national liberation struggle. This financial assistance is provided in two ways, namely a once-off gratuity of fifty and twenty thousand Namibian dollars (N$50 000 and N$20 000); and the monthly subvention two thousand Namibian dollars (N$ 2000).
The lump sum is paid to all registered veterans of the liberation struggle regardless employment status. Veterans who begun participating in the activities of the liberation struggle between 1959 and 1987 will receive a lump sum payment of fifty thousand (N$50 000) while veterans who begun their liberation struggle activities between 1988 and 1989 will be paid a lump sum of twenty thousand (N$20 000).
The monthly subvention of two thousand Namibian dollars (N$2 200) is paid to unemployed veterans and to veterans whose monthly earnings are below the tax threshold.
Provision of Psychosocial Support
The war of national liberation struggle has left many veterans with various psychosocial problems. Some veterans are either suffering from the post-traumatic effects of the war or are disabled. Moreover, veterans who are still fit to be employed find it difficult to secure meaningful employment in the post-colonial Namibia due to the fact that many have limited educational training.
To care for the psychosocial needs of the veterans, Veterans Affairs provides counseling services and medical assistance.
Construction of Veterans’ Houses
Veterans constitute a portion of the Namibian population that lacks standard accommodation. For the Veterans, owning a house is a dream that many are far from realizing due to affordability. This has become a serious concern of Veterans Affairs of Veterans Affairs in particular and the Government in general. Most of the veterans are either homeless or dwell in poor housing structures. This implies that they continue to live on the periphery of the country’s socio-economic mainstream. The provision of proper housing is hence one of the initiatives taken by Veterans Affairs to ensure that veterans are integrated in the country‘s socio-economic mainstream.
There are three categories of veterans who are eligible for housing benefit. These are the veterans that are old, disable and those who are seriously ill. Veterans Affairs constructs a three bedroom standard house at places of the veterans’ own choice, provided the place is habitable. Veterans Affairs ensured that water and electricity are installed in all houses constructed for veterans.
Individual Veterans Projects
In addition to the financial assistance provided to veterans, Veterans Affairs is also funding individual projects for veterans. The projects are funded for an amount not more than two hundred thousand Namibian dollars (N$ 200, 000). The funding of individual projects for veterans is meant to provide capital incentives to veterans aspiring to engage in economic activities that could help them to generate income for themselves and their families, as well as to assist government to attain the national development objectives set out in Vision 2030. This means that individual projects undertaken by veterans are expected to ultimately contribute to the country’s economic growth and reduce unemployment rate in the country usually an expected part of formal writing, used to organize longer prose.
