We thank you for being here. We are deeply grateful for your support. You have taken the most vulnerable children of Drimiopsis into your hearts and you have given material support for 18 children to experience a safe and loving home, for other at-risk children in the community to be fed regular meals at the Soup Kitchen and for the local kindergarten to continue to feed their students two meals a day. Thank you so much.
The Mother House, our first sanctuary and home, opened on March 5, 2022. Photos taken of the children moving in that day show anxiety and fear on their small faces. A year later, March 2023, their expressions are joyful in response to the life they are living.
The opening of the Mother House and the publicity efforts made by our wonderful Manager, Belinda Tsuses, ignited great interest throughout the Omeheke region and the country For example, a resort nearby to Drimiopsis donated a year’s supply of toiletries, cleaning and laundry powders. Another example, In June of 2023, just in time for the new school term, Mrs. Prasad a native of Namibia now residing in India, saw an article about the Sanctuary and donated leather shoes for every child. To the delight of the children, they were delivered by a police officer and his son riding a motorcycle, who drove 245 kilometres from the capital of Windhoek. These events show the children they are valued and cared about not only by the devoted House Mothers, but by many others outside of their community. Local businesses plus Ministries donate food periodically, augmenting the children’s diet and reducing food costs at the Mother House and the Soup Kitchen.
CSNS Hosts the International Day of the African Child.
June 16th is the International Day of the African Child, honouring the hundreds of South African children massacred in Soweto in 1976 during a march for their rights. In response to a request fromo the Governor of the region, the Sanctuary hosted a celebration on June 24th. Many attended, officials from the Ministry of Education and other Ministries, as well as social workers of the Omeheke region, along with 500 children. Sanctuary staff and community volunteers helped organize and run the event, making it a great success and generating good will and respect for the Sanctuary.
Other highlights of the past year included successful school experiences for every child, with three graduating from kindergarten and three in primary school being awared certificates in recognition of their high grades. The older children thrived in school as well, making friendships and excelling in learning. The most recent addition to the Mother House five-year-old S, who has Cerebral Palsy, has become a favourite of the other children, who enjoy playing and talking with her. Unsurprisingly, S’s language skills and mobility have greatly improved. The staff receive regular guidance from professionals in learning how to care for S’s special needs, to help her reach her fullest potential.
For two weeks in 2023, one week early in the year, the other later, the South African church that supports Reverend Jeremiah Molestani (Chair of the CSN board), sponsored two groups of youth to visit the Mother House. They spent the whole time in contribution, playing with the children, painting the playground equipment, cleaning and decorating the dining room, enriching the children’s lives and enhancing their environment. Farewells were tearful!
Staff and volunteers proudly display their certificates in first aide. This was part of the certification process as a residential child care facility.
Another significant achievement was the certification of the Mother House as a registered childcare facility. This certification makes it possible to apply for and attain guardianship status for five of the eighteen children in the Mother House. Such an application is now being prepared under the guidance of CSN board member Lazarus Musambani. Once granted, it will permit the Ministry to contribute modest monthly financial support for each of the five children.
The year ended with an outstanding Christmas season. The staff poured their love onto the children. Photos taken show how wonderfully they succeeded in creating a memorable Christmas. To augment donations received from CSNS, the staff held a fundraiser by preparing braai plates of barbequed meats for purchase by Drimiopsis residents. The money raised allowed the staff to make Christmas extra special.
Children line up for a Soup Kitchen meal on the Sanctuary grounds.
We are thankful for how our many supporters loyally respond to the children’s needs. We are thankful that we continue to receive what is required to pay the operating costs of the Mother House, fund the meals for the kindergarten (55 children), and keep the Soup Kitchen going (75 or more children). Our vision for the future includes continued expansion of and improvements to the gardens and increasing the number of homes for children.
The CSN Board continues to pressure government officials to implement the Ombudsman’s request to install solar power necessary to meet present and future needs. A start has been made of 5 kilowatts that provide power for the Mother House lighting and refrigerator. Additonal solar panels are needed to power other electronics including computers, as well as lighting and appliances for the future homes that will secure many more vulnerable children of Drimiopsis who are now without adequate care, food and shelter.
The 2023 CSNS board.
As I step down as President of the board of CSNS into the Vice-President role, I reflect on the blessings I have experienced since 2018 by initiating its formation and achieving its charitable status. The foremost blessing came in the superb people who agreed to be part of the founding board, Betty Owen, Judy Dunbar, and Diane Mawson, all contributing mightily to progress made in the past six years.
Diane, who recently left the board yet continues as a volunteer, created the project “Pops for Namibia” which sells popsicles at her primary school. The one-dollar profit from each sale buys 10 meals for a child in Drimiopsis. The project continues to generate much needed funds to feed orphaned and vulnerable children year-round.
Betty took on the daunting role of Treasurer, teaching herself how to keep books, liaise with our accountant and speak the language of numbers. When Betty resigned from this role last year, Judy successfully went through a similar learning curve with Betty’s support and is now our competent Treasurer. Judy also mastered skills necessary for contributing to and updating our website. Two years ago, we were blessed by the addition of Yvonne Detroye to our board. Yvonne, with her heart of love, is a perfect fit whose skills as a hostess of house concerts greatly augment our fundraising capability.
A laptop is donated to Agent/Board Member, Helge Mercker (far right).
As our agent in Namibia, Helge Mercker has been a vital part of our board from the start, inspiring us with her vision and liaising between our board and the Children’s Sanctuary Namibia board that she, Theresa Matengu, and Chief Ita Kambases founded in 2013. Helge’s research on orphaned and vulnerable children in Drimiopsis, submitted to the Namibian government, was the basis for CSN obtaining charitable status and being granted 4.5 hectares of land on which to build homes for the children.
CSN Manager, Belinda Tsuses with Grandmother Chief Ita.
In February 2022 on the recommendation of Lazarus and Helge, the CSN board hired Belinda Tsuses as Manager. She has done wonderful work to build relationships with Ministries, publicize the Sanctuary locally and nationally, elicit donations of goods and services, and contribute to staff training. She plays a key role on our team!
The loving, collaborative relationships we enjoy with one another, our ongoing learning as we work together, the positive impact on the lives of children and community members made by our two boards, continually inspire and reward us.
All our achievements are possible because of our ever-growing network of supporters for whom we are immensely grateful! The best is yet to come, so we invite you to stay with us and witness all the positive changes that your loving support makes possible!