A bright future for Needy Hearts soup kitchen
An initiative led by law students at the University of Namibia (UNAM) hopes to turn the Needy Hearts soup kitchen in Hakahana in Windhoek into a self-sustaining non-profit organisation with their help.The Socrates Law Firm aims to enable the soup kitchen to provide continued support and meals to those in need and especially children.
"We see a bright and sustainable future for the soup kitchen when our project is completed," a representative of the Socrates Law Firm said.
The project includes the extension of the kitchen's activities to every weekend to be able to offer continued support to the community.
Apart from the provision of meals, the plan is also to offer programs that focus on education, life skills as well as access to essential services.
"We believe that these efforts will not only meet the immediate needs, but will also ensure positive and long-term outcomes, and will also empower individuals and families to become more self-sufficient," the representative said.
Capture values
The project also hopes to capture important values in the community and especially among children.
"The expected impact of the project on the Hakahana community and especially the children and families served by the soup kitchen is to capture values such as hygiene and well-being. We also want to spread the spirit of Ubuntu and teach boys and girls the value of saying 'no' to sex before they are ready, to avoid teenage pregnancies."
The team from Socrates Law Firm will measure the success of the initiative based on the feedback from beneficiaries and volunteers, evaluate the sustainability and capacity of the soup kitchen and also determine to what extent the community is involved in this.
"By combining the answers to this, we will have a comprehensive overview of the impact of our efforts on the soup kitchen and the beneficiaries," the team explained.
The Socrates Law Firm also wants to join hands with local businesses to realize their dream for the soup kitchen. "In addition to the help of volunteers, we are looking for businesses and individuals who can provide financial support and donations. Our goal is to create a support network that can ensure the sustainability and growth of the soup kitchen in the long term."
Challenges
One of the challenges that the soup kitchen is currently experiencing is that it cannot register as a non-profit organization due to certain key requirements that have not been met.
"Certain key requirements for Section 21 organisations were not met, which put a damper on our ability to proceed with the registration. However, we remain committed to guiding Maria Savage through the process to ensure that the kitchen can legally ask for donations and can be operated within the framework of the law."
The team's advice to students who also want to launch an initiative is to have a clear vision. "Build a strong team, involve the community, seek partnerships, focus on sustainability, be adaptable, measure your impact and stick to your values."