By Anna Shilongo
WINDHOEK
“Thank you Jesus, Amen …” So sang the children of the Olindi Place of Safety, where a group of Bank of Namibia workers yesterday donated food and groceries to their centre.
Officially handing over the donation, Bank of Namibia chairperson of the committee, Aleta Shatona, said their committee had looked at a number of possible beneficiaries in the capital that needed their support and identified Olindi Place of Safety as their number one priority.
After discussion with the centre’s caretaker on what their immediate needs were, food turned out to be more pressing.
Shatona says the donation is in line with their social responsibility, that of ploughing back into the communities where they operate.
“Staff of the BoN care for the children and appreciate the caretakers for what they are doing for the community.”
The group called on other organisations in the country to follow suit.
“I hope this small gesture will make a difference and encourage other organisations and individuals to value the importance of giving and sharing.”
The Olindi Place of Safety has 18 children living at the centre under the care of 45-year-old Claudia Namises.
Namises also grew up as an orphan and thought of opening up a centre for the needy in 1992.
“I myself am an orphan and was raised by another person’s mother, so why can’t I not do the same for others?
“I thought about it well, and since we are from the same background we were going to understand each other better, especially when it comes to their needs,” said the caretaker.
Namises started with a small kindergarten at her home in Dolam, where she had women dropping their children at the kindergarten but never returning to collect them.
She says children were dropped for months and years without being collected.
“What can I do? I have nowhere to drop them, I was left with no choice but to raise them as my own,” said Namises.
She stresses that parents used to leave false contact details knowing that they were running away from their responsibilities.
“I never had a problem raising my children, although I was not financially stable.
“I gave them love and we shared the little that I had,” stresses Nami- ses.
Most of the children she raised are now high school graduates and she managed to re-unite them with their families.
“I am so happy when I look at them today; some of them even completed their school and they are doing well, they put a smile on my face.”
Like any other, Namises was also faced with some challenges, challenges such as food, transport and accommodation.
She complained of her place being small for accommodating all children.
There are 18 children at the centre, and each child receives about N$10 from the government after each 14th day of the month.
She was grateful for the support she got from the workers of Bank of Namibia.