By Emma Kakololo
WINDHOEK
Miss Namibia 2007 Marichen Luiperth will be travelling to Mariental today in search of women of excellence.
The Miss Namibia Pageant has been calling on the public to assist in the search for two Namibian women who have excelled in making meaningful contributions to specific communities in need of support.
Yesterday Luiperth said she had been tipped off by some social workers about the existence of such women in the Karas Region.
“I have been charged to search for women of substance, who out of their free will take children off the streets and provide them with food, shelter and education.
“I am optimistic I will find them. Social workers have identified some of them in the south.”
The search is being done in two categories. Category A is for women who have contributed either directly or indirectly to the less privileged financially, or with food, blankets and the paying of school fees.
Category B is for women who without financial means, but through generosity and humaneness, without reward, sacrifice their time and strength to reach out to those in need of their charity.
This includes providing shelter (creating a home), feeding, free medical treatment and education to uplift the community and children.
The individuals who are nominated must be associated with a project and be Namibian citizens.
The closing date for entries is end of October 2007, with the judging expected to commence in November 2007 while the winners will be announced at the Miss Namibia Pageant 2008.
“I have to identify them at the end of my reign and they will be nationally identified and be awarded for their hard work. At the same time, I will also have to identify the people who sponsor them to take care of the children,” she said.
Luiperth has already searched the Erongo, Kunene and Ojozondjupa regions.
“I went to Khorixas last week and met the head of Sunrise Centre, Marianne Garises, who informed me about the day-to-day troubles she is facing as far as the children’s well-being is concerned and where they get their donations from.
“In Outjo, they don’t have such houses to provide shelter for children, they only give food and assist with schoolwork and other many activities.”
In Erongo she visited a day-care centre in the Democratic Resettlement Community (DRC), which she said did also not provide shelter, therefore could not qualify.
“Most of the centres only provide day-care activities and not shelter.”