From snack packets to education, the story of Sr Johanna

Sr Johanna was genuinely surprised when the Home of the Arts team from Ndama showed up at her plot unannounced. Then she broke into a grin. We'd told her we'd visit. She took it seriously.

She runs St Paul's Private School in Sauyemwa, one of Rundu's densest residential areas. The pre-primary classes are full of kids whose families can't pay fees. Sr Johanna teaches them anyway.

During the May pre-incubation training at Don Bosco, she'd started collecting empty snack packets. Now she weaves them into mats and bags. The work is meticulous. Folding, stitching, getting the proportions right. When we visited, she and Principal Teacher Mr Mesinya showed us what students had already made.

The real question is whether this scales. Right now it's Sr Johanna doing most of the craft work. But if students learn the technique properly, they've got a skill that actually earns money. It also teaches them to see litter differently. Not rubbish. Material. There's already a market for this stuff. Home of the Arts (HOTA) in Ndama sells similar items.

What struck us most was her plan for the site itself. The plot overlooks the Kavango River, with Angola across the water. She wants to build a boarding school there. Hostels and classrooms. It's ambitious. It also requires money, technical support, and someone to help her navigate the business and regulatory side.

HOTA works on a Learn | Create | Market model. We're interested in working with St Paul's to see where this goes.