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 it now regularly smells of freshly baked bread – thanks to genuine professional equipment. Alongside a high-performance bread oven, a dough mixer and a bread slicing machine 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, chef Shania Isaaks from the steps Education Centre Otto Xamseb in Rehoboth has taken an important step: she spent three days in Okakarara baking bread together with our experienced baker Tate Tjirare and learning how to work professionally with dough, the dough mixer and the bread oven.
This practical training is an important building block of our nutrition initiative and the improved provision of food for our children. Shania is now bringing valuable knowledge back to Rehoboth – and we want it to continue 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 arrived 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.
Every plant shows how valuable sustainable agriculture is for the community and how much commitment goes into this project.
New homes for staff in Ongombombonde – a home right in the heart of the agricultural project
In Ongombombonde, the small houses for the agricultural project’s staff have been completed. What began as a vision is now a reality – and the joy on site is enormous.
The photos document the steady progress of the construction: from the first spade in the ground, through the laying of the foundation stone and the shell construction to the plastered house. Step by step, a place has been created that is more than just accommodation. It is a sign of appreciation for the people who ensure every day 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 composting toilets have recently been added. They require no water at all and transform organic material into valuable compost.
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 conserve 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 once again welcomed special visitors: students 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 routine, our projects and the work in the garden.
In addition, we have been supported by two dedicated agricultural students over the past few months. They joined us through Development Aid from People to People (DAPP Namibia) and provided hands-on assistance 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.
Such encounters and partnerships mean more to us than just support in our daily work. They create opportunities for exchange, promote knowledge and give young people the chance to gain practical experience – a benefit for everyone involved.
Healthy teeth from the very beginning
In many regions of Namibia, access to dental care is severely restricted – all the more important is early prevention. That is why daily toothbrushing 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 contribution helps us sustainably improve the children's nutrition.
Donate to the nutrition initiative now – your contribution counts!
