By Confidente Reporter
A noble initiative under the guidance of businesswoman, Karen Woermann, will see the establishment of over a N$100 million all-purpose multiple centre including a school and hospital on the outskirts of Windhoek giving hope to disadvantaged children; especially those disabled as well as cancer patients.
Woermann initiated the project some few years back, its main objective to improve life of disabled and vulnerable children and cancer patients from across the country. Over 1 000 children and the poor from Otjimuise informal settlement will benefit from the help that includes agricultural training and support to various enterprises.
The purpose of the project is also to make the centre self-sufficient by growing their own food with the creation of vegetable and fruit gardens.
Woermann and her team have already selected a piece of land earmarked for the project on the outskirts of Windhoek having secured funds and expertise from the government of Israel. Although their hope is to have the project started by May, it is subject to council approval.
“We are trying to do the impossible. There must be a place for everyone under the sun,” Woermann stressed.
The project will also address the issue of stigmatisation of disability, with a direct impact on children with multiple disability barriers from Welwitschia School in Windhoek.
While the school leases five private-owned properties across Windhoek to carry out its activities, School Founder and Acting Principal, Magda Swanepoel, said that the project will enable them to house the school on one property and give them a chance to expand.
Swanepoel explains that it’s been a struggle trying to get a piece of land from the city council since 2006.
“This project is a big surprise for the school and a huge step too. We are still waiting for the finalisation of the paper work but we will grab it with both hands. She (Woermann) is creating a huge future for the kids of this school and many others that are on the waiting list for placement. There are currently over 100 learners on the waiting list.”
Swanepoel said that the school accommodates children with learning barriers including those that cannot read and write as well as those that have difficulty with language processing but have normal intellectual abilities.
“There are no schools catering for these children and our funds cannot cater for all our activities. If we can save over N$100 000 that we use on rent monthly, we can then do a whole lot more like getting speech therapists for our kids,” Swanepoel said.
Besides trying to change the country’s attitude towards the disabled, the project will also support the establishment of accomodation to assist families in the care of their children suffering from cancer.
Parents are normally forced to leave their children’s side in hospital because of transport and accomodation problems. Some of them travel from as far as the Zambezi region and even Angola in search for better cancer treatment in Windhoek.
Amanda Solomon of the Namibian Childhood Cancer Parents Support Organisation (NaCCaPSO) jumped with joy at the news of the project saying it will give parents the chance to stay involved in their children’s cancer treatment.
Before, the parents were only allowed to stay a week in hospital to help the child adjust to the environment. NACCaPSO is housed at the Windhoek Central Hospital with a 20 bed-ward accommodating up to 35 children suffering from various types of cancer. When it gets crowded, parents sleep on the hospital floor.
“There’s always about 11 parents lodging at the ward but they are only allowed to stay there for a week. So it’s always traumatic when they leave their children. This project will provide a safe and hygienic environment. It will also help parents financially because often they get accomodation using their last saved money. Many resign to be with their children but financially it’s hard on them.
“Many also go after they leave the hospital where we provide them with meals as well as spiritual and emotional counselling,” Solomon said.
Solomon adds that parent’s presence always contributes to a child responding well to their treatment. “Once the project starts it also means that we will need furniture, bedding and food items. Depending on where the location is, we will need transport to get the parents and children to the hospital. We are excited and grateful and hope the authorities will consider the project favourably.”