SOS Children in Namibia
Namibia, the former colony of German Southwest Africa, occupies the very south-west of Africa. The world's largest diamond producer, it is one of the most economically powerful African countries, thanks to its rich natural resources including copper, uranium, gold, lead, and tin. However, more than half the population depends on subsistence agriculture for its livelihood, and the region's susceptibility to drought, compounded by poverty and the increase in the incidence of HIV/AIDS have created immense social problems, particularly for children.
The charity began its work in Namibia in 1985 when the first SOS Children's Village was built on the outskirts of Windhoek on the banks of the Arebush River. The village in Windhoek has ten family houses, a community house, a nursery school and two youth houses for the older children taking their first guided steps towards an independent life. Because of Namibia's poorly developed educational system, SOS also built and runs a primary school next to the village, which is used by children from the local neighbourhood as well as the SOS families. A computer training workshop provides vocational training opportunities for 500 young people.
SOS Children's Village Tsumeb opened in 1997. Tsumeb is a mining town with approximately 20,000 inhabitants approximately half-way between Windhoek and the Angolan border. The surrounding countryside is dry and stony with hardly any trees. The community is situated on the outskirts of the town in a middle-class residential area and covers an area of 38,000 square metres. It has ten family houses, the Village Director's house, a guest house and workshops and administrative buildings. There is an SOS nursery which is also open to children from the neighbourhood, after which children from the village attend a nearby state school.
In 1992 an SOS secondary school was opened in the coastal town of Swakopmund, with capacity for 600 students. There is also an SOS Social Centre that supports children and their families affected by HIV/AIDS
Local Contacts
SOS Children in Namibia
SOS Children's Villages Namibia, PO Box 23134, 31 Heinitzburg Street, 9000 Windhoek, Namibia
Tel: +264/61/22 24 57
Fax: +264/61/22/40/85
e-mail: sosnam@mweb.com.na
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