WINDHOEK – The founder of the Megameno Orphanage in Katutura is appealing for assistance to settle the municipal debt of N$16 000.
The N$16 000 bill is for water that has been outstanding.
Maria Shaalukeni told New Era over the weekend the water debt has been escalating for a while now and sometimes they also struggle to pay for electricity, which they purchase in pre-paid units.
“We only depend on donations from sympathisers,” said Shaalukeni. She spoke on the sidelines of a birthday party held at the orphanage home by the head of the University of Namibia’s Human Rights and Document Centre, Dr Chiku Mchombu on Saturday.
Mchombu who celebrated her birthday on Saturday also spent the day with her “Megameno family” last year. She has also done it in the past, since learning about the orphanage home in 2011.
“Whenever I’m around, I come and celebrate with them,” said Mchombu.
Not only were the children and adults at the orphanage treated to food, cake and drinks but the Mchombu family in collaboration with colleagues and friends also donated items which includes food, clothes, children’s books, shoes, toiletries and electricity units.
The mood was jovial as the residents of Megameno Orphanage together with their guests sang and danced.
Shaalukeni and the 25 other residents, the majority children and young adults expressed gratitude to Mchombu’s family, colleagues and friends.
The Megameno Orphanage home was registered officially in 2002 but Shaalukeni was taking care of orphans and vulnerable children way before the shelter’s official opening.
“I love children and I believe that they are the future generation who will move this country forward. Even if a child does not have much what matters is that they are loved and grow up in a loving environment,” Shaalukeni told New Era.
She urged young parents not to abandon or throw away their children.
“If they don’t want their children they can come and leave them with me. If they don’t want me to know who they are they can even just leave them by the gate. I will take care of them and provide them with a loving home,” said the 65-year old.
Unfortunately, Shaalukeni does not receive a social grant and neither do some of the children at the orphanage.
This is because the information on her identity document under-reported her age, indicating she was born in 1961.
“I’ve been struggling for a while to rectify that. I hope it will be solved soon because if I had a pension grant I would have also paid off some of the water debts and buy electricity,” said Shaalukeni.