Our nutrition initiative is in full swing! Since the beginning of 2025, we have already been working to improve nutrition at our locations. And that’s not all: through new and expanded soup kitchens, even more children from the surrounding informal settlements are to benefit.
Here you can get an insight into what we are currently working on:
Freshly baked
In Okakarara, the aroma of freshly baked bread is now in the air on a regular basis – thanks to genuine professional equipment. In addition to a high-performance bread oven, a kneading machine and a bread slicer are now also available.
These appliances not only make the daily work enormously easier, but also enable a consistently high quality of our breads.
Passing on knowledge – expansion to other locations
As part of our nutrition initiative, the cook Shania Isaaks from the steps education centre Otto Xamseb in Rehoboth took a special step: for three days she was in Okakarara to bake bread together with our experienced baker Tate Tjirare and to learn how to work professionally with dough, the kneading machine and the bread oven.
This practical training is an important building block for improving the provision of food for our children. Shania is now taking valuable knowledge back to Rehoboth – and we want it to keep growing there.
We are currently looking for additional cooks for our soup kitchen in Rehoboth so that Shania can pass on her new skills and build a strong local team. At Otto Xamseb in Rehoboth, the new baking equipment – from the mixer to the oven to the slicer – is eagerly awaiting its first use.
Harvest time in Namibia
Harvest time has begun in our agricultural project in Namibia – and the variety is impressive. Juicy peppers, fresh lemons, aromatic onions, crisp lettuce, ripe tomatoes and many other vegetables are currently filling the baskets.
This harvest is not only a sign of fruitful work, but also an important contribution to providing for the children and families on site. Every plant shows how valuable sustainable agriculture is for the community and how much commitment is invested in this project.
New homes for staff in Ongombombonde – a home right in the heart of the agricultural project
The small houses for the staff of the agricultural project in Ongombombonde have been completed. What began as a vision is now reality – and the joy on site is enormous.
The photos document the steady progress of the build: from the first spade in the ground, through the laying of the foundation stone, the shell construction as far as the plastered house. Step by step, a place has emerged that is more than just accommodation. It is a sign of appreciation for the people who work every day to ensure that the agricultural project grows, flourishes and strengthens the community.
For the staff, the new home on the garden site means a great deal in terms of quality of life, while at the same time a vibrant centre is being created around the project. The new houses create security, stability and a real feeling of arriving.
Compost toilets in the vegetable garden – small, but effective
In our vegetable garden, we rely on sustainable solutions. Two compost toilets, which operate completely without water and turn organic material into valuable compost, have now been added.
In Ongombombonde, we live in the desert – water is a scarce resource and conventional WCs use huge amounts of it. By using compost toilets, we save precious water, which we can instead use to irrigate our plants.
They save resources, protect the environment and support soil fertility in the long term – another step towards a truly sustainable garden project.
Practical insights for young people – visit from Waterberg Junior Secondary School & support from DAPP students
Over the past few weeks, we have once again had some special visitors: pupils from Waterberg Junior Secondary School, directly across the road, completed a one-week work placement with us – for the third time already. For the young people, it is a valuable opportunity to gain insights into our daily life, our projects and the work in the garden.
In addition, we were supported over the past few months by two committed agriculture students. They came to us via Development Aid from People to People (DAPP Namibia) and helped hands-on in the vegetable garden.
This is already the second time that we have been able to welcome interns through DAPP, and we hope for further cooperation in the future.
Encounters and collaborations like these are for us more than just support in everyday life. They create exchange, promote knowledge and give young people the opportunity to gain practical experience – a win for both sides.
Healthy teeth from the very beginning
In many regions of Namibia, access to dental care is severely limited – all the more important is early prevention. That is why daily tooth brushing is part of everyday life in all our educational centres. This is complemented by our regular mobile dental check-ups directly on site.
Since 2024, the mobile dentist Dr. Maria Mai has been visiting our educational centres on a voluntary basis with portable equipment. This means children can not only be examined, but also treated directly if needed. In other cases, a referral to a dental clinic is issued.
Alongside education, we focus on prevention and care – for children who are healthy in the long term.
Every donation helps us to sustainably improve the children’s nutrition situation.
Donate now to support the nutrition campaign – your contribution counts!
