NEWS
Gerdien and Jelmer on a trip in Namibia
October 2024
Gerdien and Jelmer spent the first two days of their holiday in Namibia in Windhoek.
"The first few days are dedicated to the Home of Good Hope foundation. Prior to our trip, we raised money for this foundation. A lot has come in, we never expected so much! Of course we are very grateful for that! The intention was to make purchases for the foundation. However, so much has been raised that there is also money to send children to school and to buy things like school uniforms. Today was all about helping at the location and doing some shopping for the soup kitchen.
In the morning we took a local taxi into the township, looking for the right place. That wasn't easy, at first we couldn't find it in a neighborhood full of illegally built houses made of corrugated iron. There were people, traffic, children, poverty and garbage everywhere, no safe atmosphere for a tourist. The taxi driver was also lost which stressed us out. But luckily we found the right place near the local chicken claw bbq.
Monica was already waiting for us with the children. She runs the place with a number of volunteers and teachers. The site consists of 3 small classrooms and 1 slightly larger barn made of corrugated iron. By the way, all the buildings are made of corrugated iron. They call it a tin village.
In the classrooms there is a kind of pre-school for children who cannot go to school. Monica tries to get these children into school as much as possible, that is her main goal. The children were busy with the lesson, but also with Gerdien's blond hair and Jelmer's leg hair. Apparently, leg hair is special. We were petted by a lot of children as if we were cats.
In addition to the pre-school, there is the soup kitchen. Nowadays, about 1200 children are fed here from Monday to Friday. They make the food at a different location. Here they hand it out from the morning until the end of the afternoon or until everything is completely gone. The number of children has increased enormously recently due to the severe drought in Namibia. Children as young as 5 sometimes walk 10 km to the soup kitchen for food. What was striking is that fortunately the vast majority looked reasonably well-groomed and fed. The school uniforms also contributed to this. Everyone's hair was perfect, I was able to see a lot of African braids. However, the shoes were almost always broken.
Fortunately, the vast majority go to school. They come to eat quickly beforehand, so they can concentrate better at school. The little ones, some as young as 2 years old, sometimes walk to the soup kitchen on their own without shoes and torn clothes. You could see that Monica and the other employees paid more attention to the youngest and poorest children. Bizarrely, they knew almost all the children's names.
In addition to poverty, there is a lot of violence, prostitution, sexual violence and addiction problems in the neighborhood. Access to medical care is restricted. There are options, but they are often very expensive. Many turn to witch doctors, who give bizarre advice.
Monica also provides psychological support to some children. She studied psychology in addition to her busy job in order to be able to better guide the children. For example, she has taken in 12 children in her 2-room house. Children with disabilities, orphans and children who are not safe at home due to maltreatment or sexual abuse. Truly an incredible woman!
The food is in short supply. For hours we scoop plates from 70-liter pans. Throughout the day, children come from all over the world. They wait for their turn, bow when they get something, quietly finish their plate, settle for it and take it neatly to the dishes. No one complained, no one left their plate lying around, everyone remained polite and happy with what they got. The portions were very small, it wouldn’t be enough for a European child. Outside, they got a piece of fruit with lemonade, then they ran home or to school.
In the afternoon we went shopping with the donated money. Today, mainly stock for the soup kitchen such as noodles porridge, flour, pasta, vegetables, fruit, baby food, diapers, and milk. Tomorrow, I'll probably buy more durable stuff like toys. We bought carts full of food. Monica was super grateful for everything she got. The car was fully loaded and we took it to the storage.
All in all, a day full of surprises and impressions. Tomorrow is another day!
Thank you all for your contribution, also on behalf of all these children.
The next day is the last day at the project, unfortunately. In hindsight, of course, it was far too short. Enough reason to go back to this wonderful project. Tomorrow, the road trip through Namibia and later Botswana starts.
Today I started shopping for the project. It was all about toys, teaching materials, clothes, shoes and slippers. Again we were able to fill our carts. As quickly as the cart was filled, so slowly did it go at the cash register. Because all purchases must be accounted for, we need a VAT receipt. Apparently, that's not 1 push of a button. No, first to the special cash register, there comes the special VAT receipt guy who has to try to log in which doesn't work, system crashes 4x, then everything by hand, lost pen, ask manager because VAT receipt guy doesn't understand it anymore and so on. It took over half an hour. Unfortunately we had to go to 3 stores, this repeated itself over and over again. Could be smoother, you might think, but we think that more often in Africa.
We Dutch are way too structured for here anyway. Making a large schedule in advance is really not doable. Letting go of that a bit is getting easier but it takes some getting used to.
Around noon, we went back to the soup kitchen to hand out all the shoes and clothes. By clothes we mainly mean underwear, which most children don't wear because there is no money for that. Being bothered by the monthly period is extra annoying for girls here. In addition to the lack of clean underwear, they often lack hygiene products. That's where Monica comes in. Fortunately, they still go to school this way, otherwise they will stay at home for a week. Yesterday, we bought a pallet full of this stuff.
In no time, all flip-flops, shoes, underpants and warm sweaters were measured and distributed. The underpants were all given to the children on their heads. Hilarious sight when they walked away proud and happy with their new shoes.
Here, too, the children wait quietly for their turn. They are all so very cute, sweet and beautiful, it really hurts that we can't help them all. Anyway, of course that isn’t realistic, this is a drop in the ocean. When everything was gone, we immediately regretted that we hadn't bought more. Still, all the children were satisfied.
For the classrooms, we bought toys, puzzles, drawing materials, books, drawing paper and much more. Really a good addition to their stock. The teachers were very happy with it.
Furthermore, it was super busy in the soup kitchen. Together with another volunteer, we fed hundreds of children. Counting was not possible, it all went way too fast. After a few hours, all the hot food was gone. Monica immediately went to get bread for the others. It goes on and on.
At the end of the afternoon we saw the kitchen where they prepare everything. The foundation rents a kitchen a short distance away. Super small for what comes out in terms of food, but they get by with it. The kitchen is also hygienic and well structured. Nice to see that yesterday's shopping is being used there.
Monica took us to her house at the end of the day. That's where we met her family. Unbelievable what a woman this is. With 12 children, she shares 4 beds in 2 rooms. She pulls out all the stops to give them a good future. Unfortunately, not everything works out. One of her daughters studied medicine, unfortunately this has become too expensive since April. Hopefully that will change in the future.
There is still money left over from our fundraiser. You have given so much that we could not spend it all. We leave this money in the foundation until there is a good plan for it. For example, children will go back to school in January. For this there is a budget for uniforms and school fees. Perhaps there will be playground equipment for the children to enjoy. Anyway, everything in good time and at the African pace.
Now it's over and we continue with the journey. It's a double feeling to continue in luxury like this. That's not right and it's really unfair. We already know that we are not going to let go of the foundation, it is far too important for that and we are far too rich.
Sincerely,
Gerdien Vorenkamp
A fantastic initiative.....
May 2024
Marc and Henri visit Monica's soup kitchen in Namibia
We were pleasantly surprised when we heard that Henri and Marc also wanted to visit Home of Good Hope's soup kitchen in Windhoek during their trip to Namibia.
In addition to the hugely successful collection campaign among family, friends and acquaintances a few weeks before their departure, they conducted a campaign among employees of the municipality of Tilburg with the slogan 'Take toothbrushes”, resulting in a large number of toothbrushes. In doing so, they responded perfectly to Home of Good Hope's extra commitment to good dental care and dental hygiene. A wonderful initiative by just 2 involved people!
It turned out to be a fantastic experience for them that they write about themselves: "Certainly, we were lucky that Monica, the staff and the children gave us such a warm welcome. It was our first day in Namibia and it was a fantastic start to our trip through Namibia. It may even be the highlight of our trip”. During their trip through Namibia, Marc and Henri visited the Soup Kitchen twice and they became more and more enthusiastic about the good work of Monica and her people. In addition to taking care of the meals, they were particularly enthusiastic about the support aimed at good education and thus the future opportunities of these children. And so, on their last day, together with Monica, they bought the first necessities!
A lot of children newly registered for primary school
January 2024
Last year, Monica came into contact with a group of children who had moved from the north of Namibia to the township (slums) of Windhoek. They were children of refugees from Angola, abandoned and left to fend for themselves. The children slept on thin mattresses in tin huts, They had nothing and no one to take care of them and came to Monica and her soup kitchen to eat.
Of course, the children did not knock on Home of Good Hope's door in vain. Monica spontaneously took the fate of these children to heart. Together with a priest, she made sure that the children received a baptismal certificate and could be officially registered.
Monica also made sure that the children were taught. For example, they were brushed up with arithmetic and language so that they were prepared to go to primary education.
A few weeks ago the time had finally come, the primary schools started again after the summer holidays (it is now summer in Namibia). Proud as they were of their "pre-school diploma", they could now go to school and these vulnerable children can look forward to a future full of 'Hope'!
Home of Good Hope campaigning at the atmospheric Christmas market
December 2023
The rain cleared just in time on Saturday and the Christmas market in Gilze could be visited without an umbrella. Home of Good Hope (HoGH) Gilze en Rijen is always present to inform visitors about its project 'Monica's Soup Kitchen'. And of course to raise money through campaigns to support approximately 600 children from the Goreangab slum in Windhoek, Namibia. And this, from the Netherlands, for 15 years now!
To give these brave children a Merry Christmas, we campaigned for this special project at the Christmas market. With thanks to the PLUS supermarket in Gilze, which provided a large bag packed with food for this purpose. Many people contributed by taking a gamble and guessing the value of the contents of the bag for 1 euro. In addition, all kinds of Christmas items were for sale from the beautifully decorated stall at a reasonable price, all to continue supporting 'our' children.
We do this with all our love and pleasure. It is very satisfying to receive grateful messages from children from Namibia, now adults, who have graduated or found a good job thanks to the support of Home of Good Hope. Like Christian, who graduated this summer as a lawyer. Our help gave his life a different turn, and he is very grateful to us for this.
We look back on a very pleasant, intimate Christmas market in Gilze with music, lanterns, Santa Claus, mulled wine and many visitors who warmly supported our campaign and we wish everyone happy and happy holidays!
Home of Good Hope at sunny annual market
Oktober 2023
It was enjoyable at the annual market in Rijen. Autumn holidays and nice weather created a perfect ambiance. For many people this was a perfect reason to visit this annual market. And a great day for the market stallholders, including Home of Good Hope (HoGH). We have been present for many years to provide information about and ask for support for the ' Monica Imanga's Soup Kitchen'. A successful HoGH project for a large number of children from the Goreangab slum, Windhoek, Namibia.
For more than 15 years, under Monica's inspiring leadership, around 600 children have been receiving a healthy meal every day. Vulnerable children from poor (incomplete) families, living in meagre buildings without their own water supply and electricity. Children who are encouraged by HoGH to go to school and are supported with homework classes. From disadvantaged to promising.
As a 'charity' we are at the annual market with an appealing stall. And many visitors to the market know where to find us. The 'kiss for a euro' was very much appreciated and provoked nice reactions. Even if you couldn't win a prize, the people thoroughly enjoyed the chocolate kiss.
With enthusiastic and committed volunteers, we have again been able to realize a nice yield this year. A profit that directly and fully benefits the children in providing the daily meal, education and sports. We certainly owe that nice yield to some generous prize donors. You can't have a 'lottery' without nice prizes! And we had a lovely grand prize, a crate with groceries from 'Jumbo' Kiske Hapers, a beautiful flower voucher from De Roozelaar and tasty lunch vouchers from Smaak Lokaal. Thank you very much!
At the annual market we made a lot of people happy, here and in Namibia.
Fair Mundo Travel helps Home of Good Hope with an extra donation
Juni 2023
Because the living conditions of the children in the slum have deteriorated further, the help of Monica and Home of Good Hope is much needed.
Fortunately, there is help for these children and we can also help Monica again and again with the extras that are desperately needed.
Monica and her volunteers are very busy.
And as we wrote last time, the Soup Kitchen is being used en masse, the homework classes are running at full speed and the sports season has also started again.
Good news is that it seems that this year the long-dreamed wish of a permanent building will be fulfilled.
But more is needed and thankfully, due to fortunate circumstances we have been able to do a lot more this spring.
Extra sponsored
This spring we were able to sponsor the much-needed extras.
Thanks to Fair Mundo Travel. A small travel company with a mission that not only organizes trips, but also really wants to mean something to people who need it.
We consulted Monica to find out what was desperately needed.
First of all, there was a great need for warm blankets for the children. In the winter season it can freeze at night while during the day it is more than 20°C.
The people in the township live in rickety corrugated iron houses with a lot of draft. It is very cold at night and the children get respiratory infections and especially a lot of colds!
There was also a need for shade tents (gazebos) with windbreaks. The children can wait outside underneath these so that they do not have to stand in the bright sun and the washing-up crew will also find shade. The gazebos can be folded after use and stored indoors.
Finally, there was a need for good stainless steel tables for handing out the food and preparing the extra sandwiches.
And then of course also extra tables and chairs for the children in the homework classes and / or at the childcare.
Monica first asked for a quote to see if it was all within the budget. And yes, a great wish could be fulfilled.
Thanks to the fantastic help of this small travel company, Monica was able to purchase a lot of warm blankets and scarves for the children. There were also two large shade tents with windshields on the side, so that the children do not have to wait in the scorching sun and the dishes can also be done in the shade and out of the wind. And in addition to the 2 new tables and 8 new chairs for the children, two stainless steel tables for the staff have also been purchased, partly to be able to hand out the food and partly to prepare extra sandwiches.
Fair Mundo Travel is going to Namibia this summer with one of their trips and will try to visit Monica and her soup kitchen. Contacts have been found and there has already been consultation with Monica.
We are curious and hope that it succeeds.
We are working hard in the Soup Kitchen and the result is impressive!
April 2023
Monica and her team are working hard to create a better future for the children.
The summer holidays for the kids ended more than 2 months ago and the photos show us that Home of Good Hope is doing well. The Soup Kitchen is used a lot, the homework classes are running at full speed and the sports season has also started again.
Recently we were told that no less than 900 children use the Soup Kitchen every day, which unfortunately is due to the deterioration of living conditions in the Goreangab slum. The pressure on the soup kitchen is enormous. But refusing children for a nutritious meal a day is not an option.
The homework classes with Miss Elisia and Miss Elisabeth, both professional teachers, are also a gem. Here the children receive support with their homework and they are brushed up on their language and maths skills. This gives the children more opportunities for the future. The cheerful faces in the photo show that they love going there. That makes us happy!
But the best news is that this year the long-dreamed wish for a permanent building is coming true. This new building for Home of Good Hope is needed because in addition to the 'Soup Kitchen', it can also accommodate opportunities for activities that are aimed at self-reliance. We have been saving money for several years to design the new building. The money was donated by many charitable organizations for this purpose.
Hopefully, the formal cooperation and permits of the municipality of Windhoek will soon be completed and they can actually start building. After many years, this is the crowning glory of Monica Imanga and her team.
Monica came to Europe, we met her in Aachen
February 2023
It took some arranging but eventually we managed to meet Monica. The night before I had almost given up again because an 'Umwelt' sticker was needed to be able to drive into Aachen, also for an electric car. But Lau brought a solution because he found out that the football stadium was also accessible without this sticker and that we could have lunch there, in the football canteen (De Klömpchensklub). We are happy to take the costs of all this for our own account. The trip went smoothly and there was plenty of free parking on site.
When we arrived in the Klömpchensklub Monica was already waiting for us (because Maria is always very punctual, haha). It was a warm reunion after a long time. And there was a lot to talk about..... Monica said that she had met the director of Eurowings (low cost airline in Germany) at a meeting in Windhoek and that he promised her to help (financially) with the realization of the new building. He even visited the soup kitchen and was very impressed. Peacemaker had then shown him the 'plot'. Monica expects that construction can start at the end of 2023 and that a new building will be erected at the end of 2024. We'll have to wait and see how it all goes......
When the soup kitchen is in full swing (600 children), four large pans of food are brought to it and that is usually not enough. After that, sandwiches are handed out. Monica does not work with a list of children or with a waiting list. All children are welcome, although the mothers know the children and the families and feed the children who really need it. Children who get enough to eat at home are sent away.
Of course, we also talked about the homework classes, especially about the Oshivamba children who come from the North of Namibia. I understand these are children of Angolan refugees who returned to Angola after the war to look for work. The children were often left behind, they are not registered anywhere and do not have a birth certificate. Those who still take care of them try to find work in Windhoek. Unemployment is high in the north of Namibia and there is no safety net. The living conditions in the township of Windhoek are terrible for these children. Often up to ten of them sleep on thin mattresses in a corrugated iron hut without water and electricity. The soup kitchen is very important to them.
And when I asked if she will stop working in the soup kitchen when she retires, she said that that is definitely not going to happen. Taking care of all these children, that is the life she chooses, it brings her a lot of happiness and she gets energy and life force from it. She wants to continue doing this for years to come....
Meals for 600 children and more….
December 2022
That daily meal is and remains very important for the children from the Goreangab Township. With our support and support, the children can visit the “Soup kitchen of Monica” every day. Monica let us know that the children who come to eat with her are doing very well, the children are still enjoying it. The little ones are fed first thing in the morning and the schoolchildren visit Monica after their morning lesson. And every day the pans are completely emptied down to the last crumb after being handed out.
In addition to distributing the food, there is also care for the personal hygiene of the children. For example, teeth are always brushed with the little ones and once in a while the ears are checked, nails are cut and hair is washed and inspected for head lice. Sometimes the children also need to be treated against skin fungi.
Home of Good Hope's youth soccer team isn't just about winning, it's also about their development.
September 2022
Fortunately, after the Corona period, the football competitions have also started again in Namibia. This is also the case for the renewed youth football team of Home of Good Hope (HoGH). A team of young schoolchildren who, together with about 600 children from the Goreangab slum, are served a nutritious meal every day in the Monica Imanga’s soup kitchen, which has been the driving force behind HoGH Namibia for many years.
A new HoGH football team
Due to corona, there was no possibility to play in competition and they have only been able to train to a very limited extent. There are also too few suitable football fields and due to the recent winter break (it is winter there when it is summer in Europe) football got off to a slow start. And like all children in the world, they love to play and run around with a ball. But now there is an enthusiastic HoGH football team again and they are also working on a netball team for girls.
It's not just about winning. With Peacemaker Imanga (Monica’s son) and coach Morres, serious work is being done to offer sports opportunities for the children of HoGH. The coach said: "We have a very young team and are now 13th in the league in which 16 teams participate. But it's not just about winning. Personal development, having fun with each other and making new friends is also of great importance. We also occasionally let some older children from the neighborhood participate in the training and hope to motivate the younger children."
The HoGH Nederland’s sponsorship makes it possible that they can register for the competition, have a drink and get an extra snack, get football equipment and transport can be used. Although... they walk 6 km to the competition field (a kind of warm-up ...) and afterwards a van takes them back. They change clothes at the edge of the field, the football clothes are in 1 size and therefore too big for the smaller children. There aren’t any showers but that doesn’t spoil the fun.
You can tell the Youth Football Team Home of Good Hope are having lots of fun, They are super enthusiastic and very proud of their outfit. And the goalkeeper is happy to show off his new gloves.
In this movie a small preview >>>
Introducing a new teacher
July 2022
A new teacher is teaching the children of the Home of Good Hope (HoGH) soup kitchen in Windhoek.
The new teacher's name is Elizabeth Kudumo. She is 45 years old, married and has four children. She has a Grade 12 certificate.
Elizabeth worked in various places until her husband became very ill at work. She was asked to choose between her job and taking care of her sick husband. It is clear that she chose to take care of her husband.
She has been doing volunteer work at HoGH for a number of years now. She felt like doing something extra for the children of the soup kitchen and can also use her didactic skills for that. In collaboration and with the help of Monica and Elisia, the other teacher, this is becoming increasingly successful. Helping the children gives her great satisfaction.
Monica is graduating as a Psychologist!
July 2022
Dear Maria,
Thank you very much for your words of encouragement and that of the board members of HOGH Netherlands. I just want to give you a short story of how it started.
I always had a dream of me sitting on a desk in a classroom and I use to tell my late husband and family about it, over the years it was the same dream and I said to myself one day I will go back to school, and I will ask myself will it be possible at my age? I said to myself yes everything is possible if I can put effort in it.
January 2018 Rebekka came to me at the soupkitchen and said the registration is open for children that want to enroll for tertiary education why can't we try, I didn't hesitate because I felt that my dream had come true. One thing that I like about the two of us is before we make any decisions we pray about what we want to do , I told my children about my decision of going back to school, for them it was like a joke they couldn't believe but I had to prove to them that I was serious.
Time flies and here am I by the Grace of God my dream came true, I know sometimes it was not easy going to work and from work straight to the classes there was a time that I felt I was neglecting my children and grandchildren but I will always tell them that I was doing it for US. When I use the term US it's because I am not only a mother or grandmother to my children but to all the children of HOGH and I have to look into their needs and well being in a different way that is why I have chosen Psychology to know and understand this children better. Though it's something that I'm born with
Therefore I would like to thank the people that played a big role towards my journey through education. First I would like to thank God the almighty for giving me the strength to go through. Maria van der Wal as my mentor, she was always always there for me at times I felt like giving up but with you sweet voice you will tell me to hold on, even financially you contributed towards my education. My children for being there for me and understanding what I went through
Nguvi for helping out with assignments
Last but not least ;
Francesca and Uwe, Andy, Barbara, Frieda, Hannah, Caroline, Karin and Dominik, Thomas, Maria and the entire board of HOGH Netherlands.
Thanks from the bottom of my Heart,
Monica Imanga
Kids Home of Good Hope go back to school
February 2022
In Namibia, the summer holidays are over and the schools recently started again. The children of Home of Good Hope (HoGH) are also happy to go back to school. And without a face mask, now that there are hardly any corona (omikron) infections. Every day 'our' about 600 children are back in line for their nutritious meal and Monica's soup kitchen is running at full speed. And that also applies to HoGH's homework classes.
When it is winter here, it is summer in Namibia. And that means that the schools start again at the end of January, after the summer holidays. And fortunately it seemed like old times: happy children who are on their way to and from school without a face mask. The Omikron variant also peaked in Namibia but is now on its way back. Protective and restrictive measures are no longer considered necessary and life more or less takes its course again 'as usual'. The homework classes for the HoGH children have also started under the guidance of teacher Elisia. An extra complication arrose by quite a few children (see photo) who do not have a birth certificate and therefore formally cannot go to school.
Monica is busy trying to find out their date of birth through the church. Thanks to an admirable initiative by Monica, these children are taken care of and in the morning they are divided into 2 groups of lessons from Elisia and Monica herself. As a result, there are not enough tables and chairs. But of course we as HoGH will take care of that!
Perspective for 'our' kids in Namibia
November 2021
After the Corona peak last summer (winter in Namibia), homework classes started smoothly again in September. Under the guidance of Miss Elisia, the children from the Katutura slum on the outskirts of Windhoek in Namibia receive tutoring in homework classes. This is made possible by Home of Good Hope.
The families with children live there in extremely poor conditions and live in endless rows of meagre shacks made of corrugated iron, often without facilities. In addition to providing a daily meal in the ' Monica’s Soup Kitchen' and assistance with education and sports, HoGH has realized a very successful project with homework classes. And with success!
Children from different schools, who could really use an extra helping hand, are given extra lessons and are ‘brushed up' in various subjects.
Miss Elisia about this: “This month we will mainly help with English and maths, because the final exams are coming up. As a result, the children are extra motivated and do their utmost”. These children are highly motivated because good grades and a certificate offer the prospect of a better life.
They also try to make the homework classes fun by adding games such as "Chess" and "Ludo".
And Miss Elisia makes no secret of the fact that things are going well: “We are now almost at the end of the school year and things are going so well that we need 10 extra chairs and 5 tables for next year. Parents are very happy with their children's results and look forward to seeing them move on to the next classes.”
We will of course not ignore such a heartfelt cry and as HoGH we will ensure that this expansion and the meals for these school children are taken care of.
Our people in Namibia are so resilient!
At Home of Good Hope they deliver a great performance.
October 2021
Because there are simply far too few vaccines against corona available in poor countries such as Namibia, resulting in a very low vaccination rate and many infections, our people from Home of Good Hope (HoGH) deliver a top performance on site. The care for the children of Monica’s Soup Kitchen continues unabated.
Despite the infections, now mainly due to the Delta variant, the daily nutritious meal, homework guidance and sports for 'our' children continue. With Monica, HoGH has had an inspiring, powerful personality at the helm for years. She herself has also been affected by the loss of several family members and has also been ill. Very sad, also because of the loss of a grandson. But right now Monica is an example of resilience and an example for the people in the township. After she felt better, she told us: "Now that I am back on my feet again, we're back to work". And that says it all.
The enormous resilience of people like Monica and all the people who help her has meant that more food can now be distributed to the poorest children of Goreangab. The little ones get to eat first and then the school children. The older children often still get healthy sandwiches but the little ones get pasta or rice with a nutritious sauce with fresh vegetables and meat.
So everything has started up again as good and as bad as it can be, but it is not nearly as good as before the pandemic. There is still a lot of unemployment and poverty among the people.
Despite this, our volunteers led by Monica are doing a great job making sure that hundreds of children are fed every day!
It's busy again in Monica's soup kitchen
March 2021
During the summer holidays there is literally less pressure in Monica's soup kitchen. But after the schools have started, it is very busy again. Of course, this applies to the distribution of the food now that the school children are coming en masse again for their daily nutritious meal. But the work "beforehand" also requires a lot of effort to ensure that the children can go to school in the first place!
A "school uniform" is mandatory in Namibia. And that means that a lot of children have to get new school uniforms. But not only that. Shoes, sweaters and other school supplies are also provided. No school without a school uniform and for many children that literally means no school without the help of HoGH. Fortunately, this time there were extra donations from, among others, Sweden and Germany that made it possible to purchase clothing and school supplies for the children.
The schools the children attend, including the Olaf Primary School, are extremely grateful for the efforts of HoGH. This also gives underprivileged children the opportunity to receive education. Because there are several schools where the children go and they all have different uniforms, it is a multi-colored whole. A happy face. Now that the schools are open again, the homework classes of "our" Sybil can also start again. And a great success has been made possible with contributions from you to HoGH Nederland. And we are very happy with that!
Home of Good Hope in Namibia had a very difficult year in 2020
December 2020
Monica and her volunteers bravely got through it this year. Partly with the help of our loyal donors and generous sponsors. Let's continue that in 2021!
Care for children remains intact
The loss of a major Canadian sponsor at the beginning of this year was a significant financial setback. On top of that came the outbreak of the corona pandemic, which hit the economy in Namibia to the heart and resulted in high unemployment. Thanks to generous contributions from donors and sponsors, HoGH Nederland has been able to provide extra support and hundreds of food packages could be distributed to suffering families.
Monica and her volunteers were enormously supported and motivated by this to continue to take the best possible care of the vulnerable children.
Lower number of children not an option
Due to the loss of the Canadian income, reducing the number of children using the soup kitchen was considered. But because of the corona crisis, literally more and more hungry children knocked on the soup kitchen’s door. Monica about this: “Covid-19 caused even greater pressure on the soup kitchen. And there is no way to chase away hungry children! ” They now have 612 children, 125 of which are aged 1 to 7 and 487 aged 8 and older. They receive a nutritious meal every day. A meal that fortunately can still be called nutritious but has been adapted because of the lower budget. For example, fruit can no longer be given every day and more sandwiches with peanut butter and jelly are used. But Monica remains positive: "Until now, the children still get the nutrients they really need".
They deserve all the support
We recently gave Monica and her team of volunteers an "envelope with contents" this Christmas month. They also live in extremely poor conditions and can barely make ends meet. Pleasantly surprised and heart-warming were their reactions with pictures on them. Under these difficult circumstances, they continue to engage in an admirable way. And that deserves all the support!
Two strong women; the success of the homework classes
November, 2020
Namibia is located in the southern hemisphere and the seasons are opposite to ours. It is now almost summer and the school year is coming to an end. The summer holidays will soon start. Because of the 'corona closure' of the schools, many children could not take online lessons because they often do not have a laptop or tablet at home. But homework assistance could not be offered either. But our "strong women," Sybil, with Monica's help, didn't let that happen.
As much corona proof as possible, the children first received "homework assistance" in the soup kitchen building. And fortunately, since a few months, in two rooms that have been made available for free by the friendly organization “Wadadee Cares”.
HoGH did not abandon the children and took care of them as well as possible. Primary schools reopened to a limited extent in September, but many children already had considerable backlogs in the teaching material. Homework assistance was now more needed than ever.
A delighted Sybil in her retrospect: “I am happy to report that during these difficult months as a result of this pandemic, the homework classes have always continued. With around 50 students divided over the 2 classrooms where we strictly adhere to the corona guidelines. It is also very nice that we could give the children sandwiches and orange drink every day! ”
The children are now more motivated because they were still upset by the corona virus. And they really like it. They indicate that they no longer want to miss a lesson! Sybil about this: “To be honest, I am very impressed with their participation and, of course, very important, their performance has improved”. And she does not hide that she is happy and grateful: “We are very grateful to you as our sponsor. Hopefully, with your support, we can continue to provide education to the Namibian child from the slum. ”
Mayor Derk Alssema new ambassador Home of Good Hope
October, 2020
With the presentation of the Home of Good Hope (HoGH) policy plan for the period 2020-2025, an official touch could also be given to the appointment of our new mayor Derk Alssema as ambassador of HoGH as successor to former mayor Jan Boelhouwer. The policy plan shows that a lot of support is still needed in the coming years to establish a self-reliant center on site and to realize Monica's dream. Meanwhile, securing the daily nutritious meal from Monica's Soup Kitchen to more than 600 children from the Goreangab slum in Windhoek, Namibia remains of great importance.
New ambassador
The HoGH board is happy and honored with the mayor of Gilze en Rijen, Derk Alssema as ambassador. We know from the good experiences with his predecessor Jan Boelhouwer that this can open doors, both here and for "our" organization in Namibia. In a cordial and casual conversation with the mayor, he spontaneously agreed to cooperate, but not without also having a "good feeling" about it. The structure and working method of HoGH in Namibia, the role of Monica and the major problems of the children from the slums were explained in detail. From his experience of an earlier working visit to Africa, he recognized the poor conditions and what this means for children from a slum. He would also like to work as an ambassador during, for example, school visits to draw attention to the major differences between the children here and there, as well as the cultural differences.
In his preface to the policy plan, he therefore shows himself to be an enthusiastic ambassador, in which he wholeheartedly recommends the support of HoGH's plans.
Continuity
We are fortunate that the "soup kitchen" led by Monica and with the help of her sons Peacemaker and Gregory and volunteers has become a great success. With that so necessary nutritious meal, now good for more than 600 (!) children a day, a range of activities has arisen. Sports teams (football and netball), a sewing workshop and two homework classes are concrete examples of things that have been made possible by the sponsorship of HoGH. In the meantime, we are working hard to realize “Monica’s Dream”, an accommodation in which all wishes in the field of nutrition, health care, education and care come together and are realized under one roof. HoGH's new policy plan (see https://www.homeofgoodhope.nl/nl/stichting) clearly focuses on the continuity of the current set-up for a better health and future for the children. And… in the long term, as self-sufficient as possible from a professional multifunctional center!
Information
HoGH is indispensable in supporting the children in this slum in Windhoek. And certainly now, in addition to that super necessary meal for the children, help is also needed for the families. This is only possible thanks to your generous gifts. You can make a contribution to NL 93 RABO 0162 5623 30.
Schools reopened
October, 2020
Although the lock down due to COVID-19 was further relaxed in September, tourists are still staying away. The whole of Namibia is an 'orange' area for us in the Netherlands. Fortunately, all schools reopened on September 14.
Many children have not received a good education since mid-March, also because online education is not an option for many children. But HoGH has also been able to respond alertly here. With the enthusiastic efforts of a few teachers of the homework classes sponsored by us, they have nevertheless succeeded in teaching as many children as possible in smaller groups. Sybil, one of the teachers, is now enthusiastically starting up the homework classes again, as is clear from an email from her to our chairman Maria Vernooij: “Nothing will stop me, Maria. Thanks for your support. Take care and stay safe! ”
A few weeks later, Sybil announced that despite all the setbacks during the lockdown, the students will make it this school year, although it is not easy because many lessons have been cancelled.
“Learners are coping though it’s not easy. Learners are very keen and strongly believe that education is the key to success. Covid-19 has negatively affected the whole World, but by the grace of God we are still going”
To be continued…..