From soup kitchens to schools
"Every weekend we serve around 1 000 people at two locations, with AI Steenkamp Primary School being our home base," says Tyc Kakehongo, the health and safety officer of the Ongos Valley Foundation.The second location where people are served rotates weekly, with recent visits being made to Okahandja Park and Goreangab Dam.
However, this is not the first charity the foundation has supported.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, they joined forces with gospel musicians Franklin and D.A. donating food parcels worth more than N$100 000. About 500 households were reached in this way.
"When Covid hit the country, we knew we had to step up our operations. We distributed food parcels to households in need and after Covid we resumed our regular programmes," Kakehongo explained.
Ongos Care
A new initiative, Ongos Care, is an extension of the soup kitchen on Saturdays and is now being extended to the Havana Primary School. This pilot project, which was launched for the next three months, feeds 1 700 pupils every Monday and Friday.
"We launched the school feeding programme for three months. We feed pupils twice a week to tackle issues such as absenteeism and improve academic performance by ensuring that the children receive at least one guaranteed meal," said Melanie van Dyk, the sales manager at Ongos Valley Development.
"There is enough funding and enough manual labour to ensure that our children, our ministers, our presidents, our mothers and our fathers of the future can go to bed with a full stomach," Van Dyk said.
The foundation's vision extends beyond Windhoek, with plans to expand to other regions as soon as more resources and partnerships become available.
"Community members of Groot Aub have already approached us, and we are looking forward to expanding there and eventually all over Namibia," Kakehongo says.
The Ongos Valley Foundation also hosts fun days for communities, with activities such as face painting, bouncy castles and soccer tournaments, creating a joyful environment for the children they serve.
"We are open to working with anyone who shares our passion to feed Namibian children," says Van Dyk. If you want to get involved or want more information about the foundation's projects, send an email to [email protected] or [email protected]. - [email protected]