Veno Kauaria

Venomuinjo Victorine Kavetu "Veno" Kauaria (24 October 1960 – 30 July 2021) was a Namibian politician who served as a member of the National Assembly of Namibia from 2020 till her death in 2021.[1]

Kauaria served as a deputy permanent secretary of the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture; deputy chairperson of the Namibian National Commission for UNESCO, Director for Namibia Library and Archives Services, as well as deputy director for lifelong learning in the Ministry of Education.[2]

Education

In 1979, Kauaria left Namibia for the United Kingdom and the United States of America to study for a master's degree in Library and Information Sciences. She obtained her master's degree at Long Island University.[3]

Professional career

From 1991 to 2007 Kauaria worked as a founder director of the Information and Resources Centre at the United States embassy in Windhoek.[4] She also represented different countries within the International Council on Archives (ICA), where she chaired ESARBICA (The Eastern and Southern Africa Branch) from 2009-2011. She served on ICA’s Executive Board, and was an active member of their section for the Archives of Literature and Art (SLA) Diasporic Archives: Preserving & Promoting access to Literary Archives.[5] She worked for the Academy Library and the United States Cultural Centre in Windhoek. From 2016 to 2019, Kauaria served as a deputy executive director in the ministry of Basic Education, Art and Culture.[6] Kauaria served as a member of the Namibia Library and Information Council (NLIC)[7] and the National Information Workers Association of Namibia (NIWAN) as Chairperson.

Political career

Kauaria was a SWAPO member of 7th national assembly from 2020 until her death[8] before she was appointed a deputy Minister of Higher Education, Training and Innovation by President Hage Geingob in April 2021, the position she held until her death.[9]

Legacy

She died from COVID-19 complications in Windhoek at the age of 60.[10][11]

Kauaria has been remembered as a nationalist and a real educationalist, who served the interests of all Namibians. She had also engaged Teachers Union of Namibia (TUN) on the re-grading of education officers from grade 9 to grade 8. Moreover, Kauaria was remembered as an exceptional, dedicated colleague as well as a tried and tested educator.[12]

References

1. "Kauaria, Veno (DECEASED 30/7/2021)". Parliament Republic of Namibia. Archived from the original on June 7, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
2. Shelleygan, Petersen (2021-07-30). "Namibia: Deputy higher education dies". The Namibian. Retrieved 2021-08-18.
3. "BIOGRAPHIES OF NAMIBIAN PERSONALITIESin alphabetical order". www.klausdierks.com. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
4. Niwan, Niwan (18 August 2021). "Tribute to a passionate librarian". The Namibian. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
5. "Diasporic Archives: Preserving & Promoting access to Literary Archives". www.diasporicarchives.com. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
6. Namibia Broad Cast News-8, NBC (12 August 2021). "NBC News - 8". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2021-08-13.
7. "4th Library and Information Council inaugurated | Namibia Economist". Retrieved 2023-02-20.
8. "Members of 7th National Assembly". Namibian Parliament. Retrieved 2021-08-12.
9. "Geingob appoints new ministers". 22 April 2021. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
10. Nakale, Albertina (2021-08-02). "Kauaria remembered as 'real educationalist". Retrieved 2021-09-02.
11. "Namibia: Deputy Higher Education Minister Dies". 30 July 2021.
12. Nakale, Albertina. "Kauaria remembered as 'real educationalist'".