Article in The Namibian

Metaha,

Here is an article that was written in The Namibian newspaper on Monday October 5th. The article and pictures are from Christof Maletsky of The Namibian. Hope you enjoy!

NATIONAL NEWS

05.10.09

Volunteers bring new hope at Opuwo

BY: CHRISTOF MALETSKY AT OPUWO

Rauna Shilongo and Blaundina Petrus, two of the Volunteers at the Opuwo

Red Cross Centre taking care of the orphans and vulnerable children.

Polytechnic graduate Florence Nunes is one of the volunteers taking orphans and

vulnerable children from Opuwo through afternoon classes at the Centre.

One of the children concentrates on his task of

coloring at the Opuwo Red Cross Centre.

THIRD-GRADER Makina Gabriel Armando is all smiles.

Even though he lost his sister a week ago and his mom is ailing,

he is glad to hold a biscuit and a cup of cooldrink in his hands.

Every Friday afternoon Armando (11) joins a group of up to 40 other children at the Red Cross Centre at Opuwo where they are taught life skills, are helped with homework and also get school uniforms and toiletries.

They are a group of children that Red Cross regional co-ordinator Kakarandua Mutambo got into the local school hostels after they used to walk around 20 kilometres to school and back home every day.

They have since joined the OVC project set up by US peace corps volunteer Edward Wynimko, who has helped the locals to plant a big garden on the outskirts of Opuwo for sustainable food production.

He has also been involved in the distribution of condoms as health workers and others try to stem the spread of HIV – the disease that causes AIDS and leaves children as orphans.

Although Opuwo and surrounding areas do not have a high HIV prevalence rate because the Himba people have over the years jealously guarded their customs and traditions, those same values now threaten to wipe them out.

That is because of customs such as polygamy, where rich older men marry several young girls to bear children who help herd his cattle.

Mutambo said they started the project with 17 children who used to sit around idle.Now all of them are in school and the project workers keep a register to monitor their progress and attendance.

“Initially most dropped out of hostels because they did not have blankets, clothes and toiletries but we managed to get donations for them. They have now stabilised and enjoy school,” Mutambo said.

Most of them are children of people who are taken care of under the Red Cross home-based care programme.

“That is why we also set up the big garden to plant vegetables which our clients can eat and also sell,” she said.

A local chief gave the Red Cross a 10-hectare piece of prime land some eight kilometres outside Opuwo and they have already had their first harvest but still need funds to build a proper irrigation system.

In the meantime, fewer than half a dozen local young women volunteer their Friday afternoons to teach Armando and the other children how to care for others.

“We hope that one day one of them will reach some heights in life. You never know who you prepare for tomorrow,” said Mutambo.