Location: Okahandja, Namibia
Project: Orange Babies Child Programme
Quote
Thomas Mundu, student 5 Rand Primary School. ""Since Orange Babies came, my schoolwork has improved a lot. They give me breakfast, which helps me to concentrate in class""
Short description:
The Orange Babies Child Development Programme is growing quickly into the flagship of our Namibian projects. The core activity of the programme is to provide 430 orphaned and other vulnerable children with a healthy meal twice a day. 12 Community Mothers, recruited from the community, each take care of a group of children. They do not only receive breakfast and lunch but their health is also closely monitored. They get love and care from the Community Mothers who treat them as if they were their own children. The programme is situated at the 5 Rand School. A school with 580 pupils from grade 1 to 7. The programme is very efficiently managed by Florida.
Goals:
Accurate monitoring and evaluation of HIV therapy of HIV-positive children. A basic follow-up of all children’s health through the Pharmacces mobile clinic. Improvement of the children’s general health through monthly weighing and measuring. Taking care of basic hygiene (personal care)
Results:
Since 1 July, 88 new children were added to the programme. At first just for breakfast. The total number of children now grew to 430. Better results at school, through better concentration and increased presence. Updating and improving the knowledge and skills of the Community Mothers through training offered by the Peace Corps. The training for example concerns HIV/AIDS, personal hygiene, self-confidence, domestic violence, nutrition etc. Training about the same subjects was given to the children. One Community Mother and a cook got permanent jobs. One as a TB and AIDS counsellor at the Health Department and one as a janitor at a school. Good to see they could find a job thanks to the CV they built at Orange Babies. This also offers a job opportunity for 2 new persons from the community. The absence percentage dropped drastically and the level of concentration keeps rising. Especially now 88 new children were added to the programme. Some local donors were found who made sure the children made it through winter more comfortably. They donated blankets, jumpers and shoes for school.
Information about Partner:
The Orange Babies Child Development Programme is sponsored by Stichting Sportive4Kids. In 2016 this foundation organises the sixth sponsor tour Weissensee4kids (Alternative Elfstedentocht, a Dutch ice-skating tour). Their mission is raising funds through ice-skating, cycling and other activities on behalf of ‘Kinderen met een Moeilijke Start’ (Children who had a rough start in Life).
