Katutura - Windhoek

The population of the Namibian capital of Windhoek is marked by a high percentage of unemployment, illiteracy and unworthy living conditions. This applies especially to the numerous slum areas around Windhoek, where there are only a few water points, hardly any electricity supply and generally an insufficient infrastructure. Migrants are mostly penniless and find shelter in improvised housing made from corrugated sheets, wood slats and plastic covers. The never ending influx generates more misery daily. Thus, one water tap has to provide for nine huts made from corrugated sheets or cardboard. Sewerage systems and electricity are utopias. The situation of the children and youngsters in these areas are especially tough. Mostly without a mother or father and without a helpful infrastructure, they often end up on the streets with all its dangers for body and soul.

The Orphanage Orlindi – place of safety – was established in 1995 by Claudia Namises and was approved and registered by the Namibian government. Currently, there are between 28 and 35 children aged between 0 and 18 living in this house.

The Orlindi House of Safety attends to the problems of disadvantaged girls and boys aged between newborns and eight. The children's hostel defines itself as a temporary home with a familiar atmosphere. At the same time, great emphasis is put on nutrition, hygiene and education.

The focus is also put on scholastic support as well as useful recreational activities. 14 children have a home here and are attended to. Six of them have HIV/AIDS and are treated with anti retroviral medication. Eight children are attending a public school in the vicinity of the Orlindi House.

There are two house mothers available for the organisation in the hostel. Within the house community, every child has to attend to certain obligations and tasks. It is the aim of the Orlindi hostel, to prepare the children for their future life, to procure them a place in a surrogate family and to help them find a way into normal life again.

Educatioon is the only chance to find a way out of this misery. As a result, some courageous mothers have converted their houses into play schools, where they look after and teach their own and their neighbours children.

These places are very popular, since only children, who can speak English, are allowed to attend a government school.

Oasa Taradi means literally translated, "diligent women". Behind these two words, a women's cooperative based in Windhoek is concealed.

Single mothers are producing traditional craft work with African plant and animal motives.

Oasa Taradi started in 1989 as a project of the Namibian Red Cross Society with the assistance of the Canadian Red Cross. This centre provided basic needlework skills to the women and in the afternoons they used sewing machines provided for the mending of used clothing. In 1993 an independent trust was set up by 25 women with the aim of becoming self-supporting. Many of the women are single mothers and sole income earners; they are paid according to embroidered work completed. A small group of volunteers from the International Community (spouses of consultants, teachers and diplomats) help the women develop their range of products and assist in the quality of their products.

Windhoek is in a humanitarian crisis. Tens of thousands of people depend on makeshift drinking water and sanitary facilities. According to the information, 140,000 people live in the total of 87 informal settlements in the city of Windhoek, of which around 56,000 inhabitants - around 40 percent - only public taps and communal toilets are available. The biggest challenge is how fast these urban areas grow. Officially, Windhoek's informal settlements assume an annual growth rate of 7.3 percent compared to 3.9 percent in the entire central Khomas region and a nationwide population growth of 1.9 percent. The Fidel Castro School was founded in 2008, located in an informal Okahanjapark / Katutura area outside of Windhoek to provide children with primary education. 400 students were accommodated and taught in tents. In 2010 the Ministry of Education decided to build the first school in the informal area and thus the Fidel Castro school got its first buildings without electricity and water. In 2015 electricity and water were made available to the school. With unemployed parents, only a few students could afford a school uniform that is compulsory in Namibia. With the help of donations over the years it was possible to build a soup kitchen to give the children a warm meal every day. The school has 1234 students, 40 teachers and 20 volunteers - parents of students. Katutura projects supports the school monthly with a food donation- Rice; Noodles; Sugar; Oil; Flour; Funa soup.