Saturday 29 April 2017, Maxuilili, Katatura – The sun shed a golden hue on the dusty streets of this community as it rose, illuminating the haze from hundreds of burning fires. Some for heat, some to prepare meals for the families of that area. Three boys were playing soccer in the streets, casting elongated shadows as they ran and laughed. By this time the cooking fires were already burning for two hours in preparation for the events to come.
Namkid, a local group founded by Jasmine-Rose Goagoses, along with three partners Nonelwa Gqwede, Taitum Coetzee and Jasmine Garises, hosted an event called Winter Drive, aimed at feeding, clothing and distributing various items such as blankets, toys, as well as basic toiletries to the local community. These young pioneers are artists, musicians, designers and teachers, who one day realized that all the things they take for granted, are a luxury to someone else.
The goal of Winter Drive was to not merely create a day of relief but to bring together partners that see the value of sustainable change within a community, and the long-term effects that this can create. Mr Sidney Boois from Global Youth Initiative (Youth Max) as well as a representative from the Presidential office Ms Teckla Uwanga both offered words of kindness and resolve to the people who gathered at the event, ensuring them that not a single man, woman or child will be overlooked, and that through meaningful endeavours from Government as well as NGO’s, more events like these will take place, extending a helping hand even further.
Hollard Life stepped in and sponsored food and other items to the value of N$54,000.00, ensuring that each and every child that walked through that door, received a warm meal and other basic items such as soap, toothbrushes, sanitary pads, and deodorant. Hampers containing rice, soup, tinned food and 1 kg of mixed vegetables were also put together and handed to the people, some of them so young that they struggled to carry it all.
Namkid and Hollard Life would like to thank Sister Namibia, who sponsored a self-defence class for the girls attending the event, as well as Youth Max, Primedia, Namibian Breweries, Supra Sales - Johnson & Johnson, Food Lovers Market and each and every individual sponsor who donated clothes, shoes and other items for the day. The expressions on the children’s faces when they received a pair of shoes or a warm jacket would make even the most steady hand tremble, with most of the youth waking barefoot and dressed in torn and ragged clothes, the gratitude was indescribable.
During the course of the day, an estimated 2000 people walked through those gates. But the most important thing was that when the day was over, 2000 people walked home, dressed and fed, with a sense of hope that they would not have had otherwise. Having seen actions, having felt compassion and the spirit of goodwill, knowing that no matter how dark times may seem, there is always something to look forward to, always something to be grateful for!
Photo Credits: Lorenzo Platt