WINDHOEK – Capricorn Group took Windhoek by storm last week Friday with their Christmas on the Streets Initiative, to help the homeless community in the surrounding areas of their head office by giving them a fun-filled day they would never forget.
Prior to the event, employees in the role of Changemakers donated clothes, shoes, toys and other items, which accumulated to a bounty that provided the community with a “shopping experience” otherwise not normally possible for them.
A further 30 Changemakers showed up on the day to volunteer their time to spread the Christmas spirit to the homeless community in the streets of the city centre. The initiative, supported by Imago Dei, a third-party service provider, as well as EM Love Foundation, filled the area with music from Namibia’s acapella group VMSix, food, socialising and a lot of fun.
Minister of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare, Zephania Kameeta, who attended the joyful event, expressed his satisfaction in the unity of purpose of diverse stakeholders coming together to contribute to people’s social well-being.
Changemakers served the homeless community by packing and serving meals, assisting them with the selecting of clothes and items, cutting their hair and filling food bags.
The group also handed out reflective jackets to those who assist with guarding cars as their source of income. It was indeed a memorable day.
“More than the distribution of material items, the genuine encounter between the homeless and the volunteers proved that beyond social segments we are all human beings with the need to be valued for who we are and not what we have. “This has truly opened our eyes to the reality of the homelessness crisis in our very own backyard. I am very proud of the Capricorn Group employees in their role as Changemakers because of the overwhelming number of people who have donated items or their time to bring about positive change,” said Thinus Prinsloo, Capricorn Group CEO. The Group firmly believes in planting seeds that will grow into sustainable opportunities by being a Connector of Positive Change, he said.