Namaqua Kalahari Children’s Home nears completion in !Gochas
Opens doors end of July
The Namaqua Kalahari Children's Home opens its doors in August and will provide a safe haven for 60 children.
Construction of the Namaqua Kalahari Children’s Home in !Gochas, a small settlement located 110 kilometres southeast of Mariental in the Hardap Region, is well underway and nearing completion.
The initiative aims to provide a safe space that will lead to a brighter future for children facing challenging circumstances in the community, with an estimated population of 1 868, according to the 2023 census.
The vision for the children’s home was born out of Theopaulina Goliat’s concern for the welfare and future prospects of the children in !Gochas, where substance abuse and consequent child neglect and abuse are rife.
Vision realised
Goliat's passion for improving the lives of local children was ignited during her tenure as a local school principal. Witnessing a cycle of high dropout rates due to dire living conditions, Goliat resolved to take action.
Her dream of constructing a children’s home started by collaborating with international partners.
“One day in 2014, I woke up with the vision of starting a children’s home. I then began working towards the vision, and in that year, a woman from Norway came up with a programme to uplift and empower children that were struggling academically, and my school was one of the 10 pilot schools," Goliat said.
"I shared my vision and she promised to connect me to partners that would assist, and that is when she connected me to Shoot for Change, an NGO based in Spain and Italy, which eventually facilitated collaboration with Foundawtion, a non-profit organisation committed to uplifting communities through architectural projects,” she recalled.
Safe haven
The construction of the Namaqua Kalahari Children’s Home officially commenced in October 2023, with Foundawtion overseeing the architectural aspects of the project. “So far, Foundawtion has donated close to N$2 million for the construction of this home and we are so grateful and excited to see the final outcome,” Goliat said.
Scheduled for completion by the end of July, the Namaqua Kalahari Children’s Home will provide accommodation for 60 children, offering them a safe haven and access to education, nutrition, and emotional support. It has the potential to break the cycle of poverty and empower the village’s young residents to pursue brighter futures. The home will also house two supervisors, two cooking matrons, two general employees and one security guard.
Part of change
Petrina Hendricks, the deputy director of the home and a retired teacher, will be responsible for the academic aspect of the children’s future. “My heart bleeds when I see these young people being neglected and hungry. As a descendant of !Gochas, I want to be part of the change of this place,” she said.
Speaking on the construction progress, a foreman from Bindeman Construction, Fillemon Kasiti, said the project is progressing well and in accordance with the architectural plans drawn up by Foundawtion architects in Spain. He said the project is being overseen by two architectural volunteers from Foundawtion.
Despite the project’s great progress, Goliat said that they are always open to expanding collaborations and receiving assistance from local partners.
The initiative aims to provide a safe space that will lead to a brighter future for children facing challenging circumstances in the community, with an estimated population of 1 868, according to the 2023 census.
The vision for the children’s home was born out of Theopaulina Goliat’s concern for the welfare and future prospects of the children in !Gochas, where substance abuse and consequent child neglect and abuse are rife.
Vision realised
Goliat's passion for improving the lives of local children was ignited during her tenure as a local school principal. Witnessing a cycle of high dropout rates due to dire living conditions, Goliat resolved to take action.
Her dream of constructing a children’s home started by collaborating with international partners.
“One day in 2014, I woke up with the vision of starting a children’s home. I then began working towards the vision, and in that year, a woman from Norway came up with a programme to uplift and empower children that were struggling academically, and my school was one of the 10 pilot schools," Goliat said.
"I shared my vision and she promised to connect me to partners that would assist, and that is when she connected me to Shoot for Change, an NGO based in Spain and Italy, which eventually facilitated collaboration with Foundawtion, a non-profit organisation committed to uplifting communities through architectural projects,” she recalled.
Safe haven
The construction of the Namaqua Kalahari Children’s Home officially commenced in October 2023, with Foundawtion overseeing the architectural aspects of the project. “So far, Foundawtion has donated close to N$2 million for the construction of this home and we are so grateful and excited to see the final outcome,” Goliat said.
Scheduled for completion by the end of July, the Namaqua Kalahari Children’s Home will provide accommodation for 60 children, offering them a safe haven and access to education, nutrition, and emotional support. It has the potential to break the cycle of poverty and empower the village’s young residents to pursue brighter futures. The home will also house two supervisors, two cooking matrons, two general employees and one security guard.
Part of change
Petrina Hendricks, the deputy director of the home and a retired teacher, will be responsible for the academic aspect of the children’s future. “My heart bleeds when I see these young people being neglected and hungry. As a descendant of !Gochas, I want to be part of the change of this place,” she said.
Speaking on the construction progress, a foreman from Bindeman Construction, Fillemon Kasiti, said the project is progressing well and in accordance with the architectural plans drawn up by Foundawtion architects in Spain. He said the project is being overseen by two architectural volunteers from Foundawtion.
Despite the project’s great progress, Goliat said that they are always open to expanding collaborations and receiving assistance from local partners.
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