Chaka Chaka pledges to raise funds for children

Yvonne Chaka Chaka, accompanied by Deputy Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare Lucia Witbooi, visited the Sunshine Centre and Kids Haven childcare facilities in Walvis Bay yesterday.
“Some organisations come and go. The Sunshine Centre has been around for over 20 years. This shows the people here are sincere. I would gladly collaborate with other artists and fundraise for their cause,” pledged the songstress and humanitarian after her visit.
Chaka Chaka also suggested to the deputy minister that the government should provide a stipend for volunteers and caregivers doing duty at such facilities and make provision for this within the national budget.
Witbooi introduced Chaka Chaka to staff members at the two facilities and explained that she was in the country to gather support for the rights of children and would celebrate the Day of the African Child with Namibians in Swakopmund today.
“Each year we host the Day of the African Child celebrations in a different region. This year Erongo is playing host to the event with conflict and crises in Africa and protecting the rights of all children in Africa as theme. Chaka Chaka is a Unicef goodwill ambassador and is touring your establishments to gain an overview and to assist with advising the organisation she represents,” Witbooi said.
The Head of the Sunshine Centre, Elsa Murangi, told the visitors that children with disabilities were not always included due to their condition.
“Our challenges are endless. We are a day-care centre with 15 staff members, some of whom attended the centre, became caregivers and are providing stimulation to 108 children on a daily basis. Most parents cannot afford the N$100 fee but we do not turn anybody away.”
Murangi further explained that mothers and young persons are being trained at the centre. “We are providing gardening, woodwork and needlework training to educate families to become self-sufficient and managed to send 25 children back to school. It is also evident that once issues pertaining to neglect and poverty are addressed and nutrition is enhanced, improvement occurs.”
Unicef representative Micaela Marques de Sousa introduced Chaka Chaka as a global child rights campaigner and said Namibia was privileged to have a person of her stature sharing in this year’s Day of the African Child celebrations.
She pointed out that the Graça Machel study conducted in 1996 showed that 20 countries on the continent were engaged in conflict.
“We have made some progress with 10 countries out of 54 being in conflict today. We however have other problems in Namibia where we don’t hear the sound of guns being fired. Children are crying and teenage pregnancies are a reality. We will leave no stone unturned to see every child realising their rights.”
Chaka Chaka described her meeting with businesspeople at a dinner in Swakopmund the previous evening as an encouraging experience.
“Unicef has always been at the forefront of protecting children and their right to education. We are eager to learn how to collaborate and improve.
“Businesses must assist and governments must come to the party and provide help. It’s not always about the money but also about being supportive. Businesses are making a lot of money and need to plough back.
“It is good to be able to secure donor money but charity begins at home. Communities who each time arrive with begging bowls are not respected,” she said.

OTIS FINCK