A loving home for vulnerable children
House in Groot Aub a refuge to 33
“This is not an orphanage, this is our home. Being here does not mean that you are beneath others either. It’s just circumstances that brought you here and now you have a very big family that loves you,” said Clara Baitsewe, the founder of the Vision Care Organisation.Clara's childhood was also difficult. However: “It didn’t end while I was growing up. Sadly it has become worse and children are suffering now more than ever.”
Clara was mistreated and abused at a young age. “I decided that no child should go through something like that.”
In 1988, Clara began looking after her first six-month-old baby. It was a friend of hers who could not take care of her baby due to circumstances. “It would only have been temporary. Today she is a grown woman with a good job and I am still her mother. She never went back to her biological mother.
“It was not long after independence that I began caring for four AIDS orphans. From there another and another child came to me. My big family continued to grow and the house became too small.”
Clara's grandmother lived in Groot Aub and said that she had to look at a plot of land in the town. And so, in 2021 Vision Care moved there.
“Here there was only a shack and an asbestos hut, but in 2004 Karin Meissner got involved with us. She said children cannot live like this and gave money to build our first brick structure.
“Over time, with her help, we expanded to where we are today. She is the children's ‘grandmother’ and I think she is the reason why our children do so well at school. They want to make her proud. They see what she does for us and doing well at school is their way of showing their appreciation.”
The centre currently houses 33 children as well as 12 in the home. Since the centre relocated to Groot Aub, it has already been able to help 65 children. The youngest is two years old and the children live there until they complete their schooling.
Four children are currently busy with their vocational training in Windhoek.
Taking care of the vulnerable
Most of the children are orphans. There are a few who still have parents, but they are vulnerable and therefore also live at the centre.
“What I do today fills me with so much joy. I have no void in my heart or longing for anything. I just want to be with my children and see them succeed in life. I live for and through my children. They make life worthwhile.”
According to Clara, the need is huge in Groot Aub; more so than in Windhoek. “In Windhoek, there are many people who help and they help each other. This is not the case here. Every week I hear about children who have not eaten for a week, who live alone.”
“Every child should be able to reach their full potential when they leave here. I also hope that there will be more safe places for children. If I'm no longer here or the children leave the centre, the problem doesn't stop - it just continues. There will always be children who need a safe and loving home.”
“If your heart's not in it, don’t do it, especially if children are involved. But if you can reach out to children, do it and do it with love, care and passion. Children are not looking for earthly things, they are looking for love and security. That's all they're looking for.”
Romario Swartbooi (17) arrived at the Vision Care Organisation at the age of nine. “It’s a great privilege, because what would I have done on the street? I would have stolen, been bad and had no food. Now I am the head boy at school and an example to my friends. I am very grateful to Ouma Clara and everything she does for us.
“Our home is a haven filled with love. I want to build my mother's house for her one day. By doing this, I want to show people that I didn't turn out like them. I did better. My mother drinks dangerous amounts and they expected me to follow in her footsteps. But I won’t; I'm better thanks to Ouma and I’ll show them.” – [email protected]