Namibia: Training Center in Sustainable Agriculture
Disadvantaged youth contribute nutritious meals for school children in poverty
A tough start
Poverty in Namibia is a glaring problem. Growing food in a desert climate is very difficult. In the middle of the desert lies the city of Gobabis, with the adjacent slum of Epako. Children and youth live here under difficult conditions.
Fortunately, there is the school of Light for The Children. Some 270 children receive Christian education and a daily meal. For some, this is the only nutritious meal of the day. Many of them are chronically malnourished, resulting in illness, growth and learning delays.
Many young people drop out of school early and enter the criminal circuit and use substances. But there is hope for these children and youth!
Stats Namibia
Namibia is the second least populated country in the world
The desert land is bone-dry; a lot of water is needed to grow vegetables
Children in Epako slum are malnourished and eat one-sided food
There is high school dropout, unemployment and criminality among young people
Oasis in the desert
Three vegetable gardens have been set up in the slum by the residents. Proceeds from the garden are donated to the school so that the school meal consists of a variety of vegetables. Children, youth and their parents can stop by the vegetable gardens to see how it works.
These vegetable gardens fulfill only a fraction of the need. That’s why Tree of Life wants to partner with Light for The Children to create a training center in sustainable agriculture. The center will provide living, working and learning spaces for young people. The first vegetable gardens have already been planted!
Future plans
The farm “Lech Acharai” (meaning: Come, Follow Me) was set up by Pieter and Corina Schouten. The farm is located near the slum and provides employment for underprivileged youth. In the start-up stages, the youth help with construction work, planting vegetable gardens and creating water supplies.
The farm has access to water, but the amount of water is like a drop in the ocean. Irrigation is necessary for the vegetable garden to flourish, so an additional borehole, a water tower, and the necessary pipes are under construction. A win-win: water for the vegetable garden as well as water for the farm to drink and for plumbing.
In addition to the vegetable garden, there are plans to make cheese and yogurt. When things are up and running (expected mid 2024), young people from the Netherlands can be welcomed to help build the projects.
Fieldworkers
Dutchies Pieter and Corina Schouten left everything behind in 2023 and left for Namibia to go help Light for The Children. But not only that, they are full of plans! For example, upon arrival, they immediately started looking for a suitable piece of land to give shape to their own dream:
- To provide practical education and employment opportunities for vulnerable young people so that they can build self-sufficient lives
- Teach young people to live by the principles of Jeremiah 29:5 “Build houses and dwell in them, lay out gardens and eat the fruit of them.
– provide food, making income (farming)
– managing income: not spending everything, but sharing, saving and investing (finance)
– Working on family relationships (familiy)
– living from faith in Jesus (faith)
Pieter and Corina have the goal of making the Lech Acharai project profitable, so that within 5 years the project will no longer depend on donations.
I want to donate!
Yes, I want to contribute to this vision
