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Michael Steinbach is currently working for steps for children in Okakarara. The journalist dedicates himself during his stay to tasks outside his profession and helps wherever help is needed. Which tasks these are and what obstacles he faces in Namibia, he reports on in steps aktuell – here is the first part:

„Even at the end of our 50s, we wanted to take a longer career break and do something meaningful with it. My wife Ulrike and I had already decided that in 2012, and now our plan has become reality. We are currently spending three months at steps for children in Okakarara. What my wife does here was recently mentioned in a steps newsletter. Since I have no educational background – I am a journalist by profession – but am a versatile handyman, I looked for and found my field of activity on the fringes: I am, so to speak, the caretaker here and very happy with my new temporary job. Because it is never boring here. There is not a day when at least one cupboard does not jam, a toilet flush does not work, or a lock does not get stuck. Above all, there is a lot to build, and that is my great passion: currently I am building the substructure for the stage set for the play „Handa’s Surprise,“ which will be performed at the closing ceremony of the school term at the end of November. Because a “revival“ of the play is planned for the 10th anniversary of steps for children in spring 2016, it will be performed by the kindergarten children who will still be here next year and then attend preschool. To do this, I connected two sturdy trestles made of squared timber with a bamboo pole that protrudes to the side beneath the decoration. After all, the play takes place in the savannah – and there is bamboo there. In this way, the caretaker can also make a small creative contribution to the success of the celebration.“    

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Michael Steinbach is currently serving steps for children in Okakarara. The journalist devotes himself during his stay to tasks outside his profession, helping wherever help is needed. Which tasks these are and what obstacles he faces here in Namibia, he reports in steps aktuell – here is the first part:

„Even at the end of our 50s, we wanted to take a long career break and do something meaningful with it. My wife Ulrike and I had already decided that in 2012, and now our plan has become reality. We are currently spending three months at steps for children in Okakarara. What my wife does here was recently mentioned in a steps newsletter. Since I have no educational background – I am a journalist by profession – but am a versatile handyman, I looked for and found my field of activity on the fringes: I am, so to speak, the caretaker here and very happy with my new temporary job. Because it is never boring here. There is not a day when at least one cupboard does not jam, a toilet flush does not work, or a lock does not get stuck. Above all, there is a lot to build, and that is my great passion: currently I am building the substructure for the stage set for the play „Handa’s Surprise,“ which will be performed at the closing ceremony of the school term at the end of November. Because a „revival“ of the play is planned for the 10th anniversary of steps for children in spring 2016, it will be performed by the kindergarten children who will still be here next year and then attend preschool. To do this, I connected two sturdy trestles made of squared timber with a bamboo pole that protrudes to the side beneath the decoration. After all, the play takes place in the savannah – and there is bamboo there. In this way, the caretaker can also make a small creative contribution to the success of the celebration.“    

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