Safari Drive have long been working closely with the Mammadu Trust in Windhoek. A trust/ centre set up to help children who come from destitute families. It's a non-profit organisation which takes care of all the basic daily needs of the children: it supplies clean water, nutritious meals, personal hygiene, preschool and regular education, and spaces for play and sport.
We have watched it grow into the success it is today with great joy. However, unfortunately, Covid-19 has put this establishment under huge strain and they need our help. Please see their statement below.
Statement
Difficult times. Difficult because it’s hard to keep up to date with always changing restrictions which from time to time are even contradictory. One day gatherings of 50 people are allowed, the next day only 10. Ministry of education announced the reopening of the schools, the then president shut them again. It's chaos.
At the moment we are in no-man land trying to keep going. Nobody actually knows how this school year will end. Will all the kids be promoted although not even half of the curriculum has been taught? Will that not compromise them in the next year? Or will everybody just repeat this school year? A loss of a whole year for all kids? And what should happen to those ones who actually should start Grade 1? We are waiting for the ministry to clarify, but whatever decision it is, it will penalise the children.
At the moment the kids are back to school, but not every day, some go alternate days. Other schools operate alternate weeks, and not all schools have resumed 100% face to face teaching.
During these months of lock down most children have been sent by the families to their villages. Unfortunately, not all came back to Mammadu. Even some of the school kids are still away and not attending school yet.
Some of the smaller kids are just gone, they are not seen around anymore, and their phones have stopped working. We have no idea of what happened to them and hope for the best.
We now don’t have any volunteers. No tourists in 2020; this is an even bigger problem. We truly need the tourism sector going again, everybody is affected. Our Ladies project didn’t sell one item, penalising the income generating project for poor women.
With no tourists and no volunteers most probably we will need to adapt to this new situation and find new ways in assisting the kids and the adults, hopefully by not reducing the number of the children.
In general, the mood of everybody kids and staff is very low, everybody is tired , and people are frustrated.
In times like these, funding is key and we need your help. We are very grateful to our local sponsors in particular, you have been our lifeline.
Please Donate
Should you wish to make a donation, this can be deposited at:
Name: Mammadu Trust
Bank: First National Bank
Account Number: 62125492075
Branch: Windhoek 280172
Swift: FIRNNANX
Thank you
From everyone at Mammadu and Safari Drive, a heartfelt thank you, and should you know anyone else who may like to donate, please share. All support is welcome :)
