The Family and house of Niko. Chapter 4

If you recall, in a previous blog, after the school graduation, Niko was admitted to further his education and to go and teach Nama language in South Africa.

Unfortunately, his parents could not afford the school fees and he was sent, at the age 20, and for 5 years, to the family community farm to look after his grandfather’s goats and sheep.

Life was tough and solitary except for the fact that Niko met Sofia in 2003 when she was visiting her Grandmother who was living at a neighbouring farm.

They fell in love, Sofia was working in Walvis Bay at the time, they could only see each other now and then, but eventually got married in 2017.

He said that it was difficult to go to the city to find work as he had little confidence and no work experience, but he managed to find casual work, including unloading trucks often full of food or cement.

He was paid daily for his work and very little but it allowed him to survive. Eventually Niko secured a contract job for an agricultural company and worked for them in Windhoek and Maltahohe for 2 years.

Thereafter, Niko had a friend living in Walvis Bay who told him that there was a job offer at a local cleaning agency.

Niko got the position as a part time job first, and it happened to be in our apartment building.

When Corona virus came, the agency told Niko to go home without any compensation or minimum pay.

Unlike in Europe, during Covid time the Namibian Government only helped a little, and most people had to find a way to survive on their own or with the benevolence of the community.

After he was sent back home, Niko applied directly to our Body Corporate for the position and has now been working full time for the last 3 years and in charge of the outside maintenance of our complex.

Niko told me this week that he feels grateful that his life is now more settled, and on our side, we are blessed, enjoying his presence and very good work.

Niko & Sofia have 2 children:

Immanuel (nicknamed Buddha) who is turning 14 this year and Deborah is going to be 6 years old.

Deborah is an adapted child from his wife’s sister who could not raise the baby. It is quite common in Namibia that children are sometimes raised by relatives or friends.

Until the end of 2023, Niko lived in a shack and after a long waiting list he managed to obtain a subsidised government plot of 240m2 where he can become, for the first time, Landowner and build his own house.

Last month, Niko and his family moved to the new plot, and in less than a month, built a temporary house mostly made of planks and corrugated iron.

The next step, with our help and Anton’s family (Anton is my Life Partner), the plan is to build Niko a proper brick house. When Niko’s house is completed, I will send you a picture and will add it to the website blog.

As a message to Niko, thank you Niko for entrusting me to write about your life and to allow me to share it with our readers.

Congratulations for facing adversity and creating a better life for you, and for your family.

We wish you continued progress, happiness, and comfort in your new house.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about the life of NIKODERMUS, which is unique and at the same time similar, in many aspects, to the life of many local people in Namibia.

I wish each of you a very nice evening. Très bonne soirée à chacun.

Next time I will be sending you some nice pictures of Namibia. No more than 20, I promise.

Kind regards

Murielle