Namibia – SOS Social Centres

In Namibia there are currently two Social Centres for children and the local community, in Ondangwa and Tsumeb.  Many SOS Social Centres operate via Family Strengthening Programmes, which aim to support the wider community.  Below is some information about some of the Social Centres that SOS Children runs in Namibia:

SOS Social Centres around Namibia: In-Depth

Tsumeb

Description of SOS Social Centre/FSP:

The family strengthening programme offers access to essential services for children’s development (eg. educational, nutritional and health support, social skills) and supports families to protect and care for their children. The programme also aims at linking families with income generating activities and offers help to improve the parents’ parenting skills.

Work and Achievements:

Registration of new intakes was completed by end of December 2009. We have 359 caregivers as well as 529 children who are our primary.

Services rendered

Service rendered in terms of food parcels were distributed to 210 programme beneficiaries.

Material services rendered

The programme also provided zinc sheets to 18 family beneficiaries with the aim of repairing the open repair holes on their shack homes.

Scholarship and day care Most of the learners have improved on their results and 165children beneficiaries (learners have passed and promoted to the next grades and 10 failed as per reports submitted for those between grade 1and 11.

29 Nursery beneficiaries.  Another 100 beneficiaries group under the sponsorship of Norway scholarship has been paid up as well and 66 graduated to grade I (one), while 34 are still at the pre – school level.

The programme has recruited 2 teachers, who attend to the learners, who are attending the afternoon home work classes and a contract was signed between FSP department and the 2 teachers.

120 learners (child beneficiaries school fees was paid by Foschini shop, while 93 child beneficiaries school fees was paid from the FSP budged. Stationers were purchased and distributed to 120 child beneficiaries.

A first aid tool kit box is kept in the office to assist in case of emergencies and is refilled each every month.

Family beneficiaries received treatment at hospital, a group of 30 caregivers and children were visiting the hospital each month for a period of nine months and do go back for follow ups.

We purchased and distributed socks and school shoes, jerseys for 98 child beneficiaries.

7 care givers attend the child protection policy workshop

Bread baking project 5 care givers involved, monthly income and expenditure reports compiled and submitted including income generated.

The programme provided 5 school uniforms to 5 beneficiaries including 5 grey skirts.

4 curtains were sewed for the centre.

Ondangwa

Description of SOS Social Centre/FSP:

The family strengthening programme offers access to essential services for children’s development (eg. educational, nutritional, health support, social skills) and supports families to protect and care for their children. The programme also aims at linking families with income generating activities and offers help to improve the parents’ parenting skills.

Work and Achievements:

The FSP Ondangwa was busy to register the Orphan and Vulnerable Children where the programme managed to exceed its target figure of 250 beneficiaries with 265 children within 128 families.