Betty the caregiver passes away

BETTY Josephat from the Children’s Future Creche in Katutura passed away last Thursday.

Betty started the creche in the mid-1990s. Six years ago she started to feed and bathe elderly people every Wednesday at her creche as well.Eight years ago Betty received a phone call asking her if she could take care of a little baby girl found near a dumpster behind Shoprite in Windhoek.Betty took in the little girl and named her Grace.Betty later adopted her.Two years ago Betty received another phone call, this time twins needed a home.Once again she did not hesitate and named the two small ones Maria and Joseph as they came to her just before Christmas.The twins are now 15 months old.Betty’s dying wish was for her daughter to carry on with the creche and that is exactly what Tukie Josephat (23) is going to do.”My mother asked me to carry on and said that nothing should change,” she said.Tukie, one of Betty’s five children, helped her mother at the creche from its inception.She will, however, need help as she is studying and working.Next week, after the funeral, the creche will open and on Wednesday the elderly will receive their soup as usual.On comments that she was too youthful to run the project, Tukie said: “I might be young but I grew up with the children and I know that I can do it”.Grace, Maria and Joseph will all stay with Tukie.”This is their home and we are a family.My mother’s death does not change that”.Six years ago she started to feed and bathe elderly people every Wednesday at her creche as well. Eight years ago Betty received a phone call asking her if she could take care of a little baby girl found near a dumpster behind Shoprite in Windhoek. Betty took in the little girl and named her Grace. Betty later adopted her. Two years ago Betty received another phone call, this time twins needed a home. Once again she did not hesitate and named the two small ones Maria and Joseph as they came to her just before Christmas. The twins are now 15 months old. Betty’s dying wish was for her daughter to carry on with the creche and that is exactly what Tukie Josephat (23) is going to do. “My mother asked me to carry on and said that nothing should change,” she said. Tukie, one of Betty’s five children, helped her mother at the creche from its inception. She will, however, need help as she is studying and working. Next week, after the funeral, the creche will open and on Wednesday the elderly will receive their soup as usual. On comments that she was too youthful to run the project, Tukie said: “I might be young but I grew up with the children and I know that I can do it”. Grace, Maria and Joseph will all stay with Tukie. “This is their home and we are a family. My mother’s death does not change that”.

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