Sponsoring a child’s future

THROUGH hope and education Family of Hope Services (FHS) in Hakahana, Katutura, is trying to uplift children who would probably end up illiterate on the street.

FHS was founded in 2003 with the aim of providing food once a day to the needy children of the informal settlement. However, the founders soon realised that feeding children was not enough and soon a school, after-school and early childhood development programmes, as well as a gardening and other community empowerment projects, were started.There are currently 450 children registered with FHS’s sponsorship programme. Most of the money for the programme comes from Italy though Terres de Hommes Italy.Of the 450 registered children, 287 have already found sponsors. The other children are also in school but sponsors are still needed for them. A sponsor donates N$1 700 per child per year and this pays for the child’s school fees, school uniform, toiletries, stationery and one meal a day.The sponsor receives quarterly updates and reports on the child’s progress and community volunteers make regular visits to the children’s homes to monitor their family life.School co-ordinators monitor the children’s progress and keep FHS informed.The children also attend the organisation’s after-school programme where qualified teachers supervise their homework. The programme includes career development, life-skills training, career guidance and drama productions, aimed at making education fun.Children who fail their grades are preferred for the sponsorship programme, as statistics show that the monitoring, individual attention and after-school activities improve their grades. Currently there are 32 children in the FHS pre-school. Here children are prepared for mainstream education.Another FHS project is a remedial programme where children who have never been to school or have dropped out are being prepared to enter formal education. At the moment qualified teachers are teaching five subjects to the children. FHS also has started a vegetable garden to supplement their feeding programme with fresh vegetables.People who would like to sponsor a child or who would like to know more can contact Abigail Bachopi at 081 278 9326 or send an e-mail to familyofhopeservices@gmail.com.tanja@namibian.com.na