Thanks to a generous
donation by Sharijah Charity International, the Promiseland Trust is able to
expand its feeding scheme and will now be able to provide a daily meal to even
more underprivileged children in Walvis Bay’s Tutaleni community.
The sponsorship of this
international charity based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) consists of a 40
foot container which has been converted into a soup kitchen as well as 150 food
parcels. The total value of the donation is N$ 300 000.00
The Promiseland Trust
on a daily basis provides approximately 2,500 meals to disadvantaged children
in Walvis Bay through two feeding schemes – the one being a soup kitchen at the
Promiseland Centre in Tutaleni where about 300 pre-school children are given a
hot meal once a day; the other is a school feeding scheme where approximately
2,200 meals consisting of fish and bread or pap are prepared by volunteers
during weekdays at seven schools in Walvis Bay’s poorest communities.
“Thanks to this
donation we are now able to relocate our current soup kitchen to the Tutaleni
Primary School premises, which will allow us to increase the number of meals
served daily as the space available at the Promiseland Centre has become
limited. Furthermore, we will be able to use the current soup kitchen hall at
the Centre to double our current forming project by introducing more
classrooms,” said Mr Pieter Greeff, Chairperson of the Promiseland Board of
Trustees at the hand-over ceremony on Saturday.
Operating from its
centre in the Tutaleni neighbourhood in Kuisebmond, the aim of the Promiseland
Trust is to improve the quality of life of the community’s most vulnerable
children through education, feeding and character building. The Trust is fully
reliant on donor funding and sponsorships.
The Trust’s partners in
the feeding scheme are Etosha Fishing and Merlus Seafood Processors. Other main sponsors that
provide ongoing funding to ensure the running of the Centre include Engen
Walvis Bay Convenience Centre, Fruit & Veg Walvis Bay, Hantunga Fishing, Langer
Heinrich Uranium, Namib Mills, Seawork and Walvis Bay Ship Chandlers.
Educational and other partners include Headstart Montessori Training College,
Hand of Hope Ministries, The ELMA Philanthropies Services (U.S.) Inc. and
volunteers from the German Red Cross Society.
The good work of
Promiseland attracted the attention of Sharijah Charity International, a
charity organisation located in the Emirate of Sharjah in the UAE. The
association works in 44 countries including the Arab world, Asia, Africa and
Europe with the aim of extending a helping hand to ensure its objective of
reaching the needy and benefiting their lives in a positive and sustainable
manner. The donation is also in commemoration of the Year of Zayed as 2018
marks 100 years since the birth of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan,
the Founding Father of the UAE, who passed away in 2004.
This initiative is
rolled out in Namibia on behalf of the Sharijah Charity international and
coordinated by the Embassy of the UAE in Pretoria, South Africa, under the
leadership of the Ambassador, His Excellency Mahash Alhameli, his First
Secretary, Miss Fatima Alsuwaidi and the Head of the Humanitarian Aid and
Development Department at the Embassy, Mrs Shameena Allie with the assistance
of the Executive Director Projects, Mr. Boikanyo Ratlhagane.
“It is not a secret
that the Tutaleni Community is struggling to put food on the table, especially
the single mothers taking care of their children. Today’s good gesture and
helping hand extended by the Sharijah Charity International through the Embassy
of the United Arab Emirates South Africa and Namibia is more than welcomed. It
is applauded,” said Mrs Anna Josti, Head of Department of the Tutaleni Primary
School at the handover ceremony.
Promiseland staff and volunteers
are pictured with members of the United Arab Emirates Embassy in Pretoria who
especially flew in for the hand-over occasion. From left to right at the back
are the Head of the
Humanitarian Aid and Development Department at the Embassy, Mrs Shameena Allie;
the First Secretary to the Ambassador, Miss Fatima Alsuwaidi; Mr Pieter Greeff,
Chairperson of the Promiseland Trust; and Mrs Jessica Moster, Promiseland
Project Coordinator.
The
First Secretary to the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates Embassy in South
Africa, Miss Fatima Alsuwaidi celebrates the joyous occasion with some of the
children who attended the hand-over ceremony of the converted container.