Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Frederico Links
Published on 2024-03-08 12:08:41
Wendy Shikukwete, a 34-year-old woman, had a dream of becoming a teacher. She believed that working on the ArcticNam Fishing’s Heinaste fishing trawler as a kitchen steward would help her achieve this dream. Initially, she planned to work for three years and then take herself to university with the money she earned from the job. However, her dream was cut short when she was unexpectedly let go from the vessel after just seven months of working there. She was part of the first group of Namibian crew members on the Heinaste to be retrenched in November 2018.
Born in Omuthiya in the northern Oshikoto region, Shikukwete moved to Walvis Bay at the age of 11 to live with her father and attend school. Since leaving school in 2010, she struggled to find permanent employment at the coast, working various casual jobs and even starting her own small business selling vetkoek and soup. The job on the Heinaste seemed like an opportunity for her to build a better life, as she was earning more than she ever had before and enjoyed the work.
During her time on the vessel, Shikukwete earned a basic salary of N$6,800. However, she often made between N$21,000 and N$30,000 per month from her basic salary and commissions. Her largest paycheck was N$40,000 at the end of November 2018. With this income, she was able to support her sisters and their children back home in northern Namibia.
After being retrenched, Shikukwete struggled to find steady employment. She now relies on a monthly stipend of N$4,000 from a government scheme for unemployed former fishermen and vessel crews. She also works part-time at a fish factory, earning around N$1,500 per month. Despite her challenges, she tries to send money to her family whenever she can.
Shikukwete is one of the few female crew members on the Heinaste and used to take home food leftovers and fish from the ship. She has now become a team leader at the fish factory where she works part-time. She still dreams of becoming a teacher one day and believes that securing another fishing job may not be possible in the near future.
The Fishrot scandal has had a profound impact on Shikukwete and her former colleagues, many of whom are struggling to make ends meet. She believes that compensation may be a better option for her than trying to secure another fishing job. This personal story was featured in the Institute for Public Policy Research report titled ‘Human Rights Impacts of the Fishrot Scandal: We Are The Ones Who Suffered The Most’.
Read the original article on The Namibian
