Vulnerable Children Receive Donations

On the 23rd of October, CAFO donated clothes and toiletries to the orphans and vulnerable children that benefit from the recently established, “Empowerment Centre for Vulnerable Children”. This organisation is the brainchild of Pastor Tony Mbunda. He set it up in February of this year with a team of seven people that run the Centre out of the Evangelical Baptist Church in Benguela.
The Handing Over Ceremony was conducted through English and Oshiwambo and Manfred Beukes read the opening prayer. Mr. Beukes hopes to donate a floor to the Evangelical Baptist Church, where the Centre is run, in the future.
Pastor Tony Mbundu, the event-organiser, welcomed everyone to the ceremony and asked the children and caregivers not to be discouraged by the size of the donation. He explained that this was only the beginning and to remember that these gifts were given through God. The Pastor also explained to those gathered that the Empowerment Centre is not there only for physical support but for emotional support as well. The organisation recognises that being a caregiver can be a stressful thing and it offers its thanks. The Centre can refer cases to a social worker for personal counselling if the caregivers feel this is necessary.
Currently the Empowerment Centre is supporting 200 children and the Pastor urges all care-givers to register their children if they fall under the “vulnerable” category, which is anyone that doesn’t have their basic needs met, so that when donations are made in future, more children can benefit.
In the near future Pastor Tony hopes to expand the Centre so that it will include a kitchen. He explained that, “We want to cook for the children ourselves. Caregivers often don’t give the food to the children and sometimes when they do, it’s raw. Students are not only dropping out of school because of finances, but also because they are hungry. They cannot concentrate at school if their stomachs are not full.” With the Empowerment Centre he hopes to reduce the number of children dropping out of school.
His vision for the future also includes expanding the organisation so that it would span the entire Karas and Hardap Regions. He hopes to achieve this goal in five years time, but the Centre needs more sponsors if this vision is to be realised. The Pastor also realises that the education the Centre can give the children is limited, so he is asking any other organisations and churches that are interested in helping with the Empowerment Centre to get in contact and help broaden the children’s horizons and empower them. He places great emphasis on moral and religious education so that the future generations of Namibians are conscientious and responsible people.
Children aged 13 and under are invited to attend biblical classes at 2pm on Saturdays at the Evangelical Baptist Church and over-13’s are invited to attend classes at 3pm. All are welcome to attend the Church’s service on Sunday at the Evangelical Baptist Church. •