Children [change]Namibia currently counts almost 160,000 orphans and vulnerable children. This represents over 30% of all Namibian children under 18. As the number of Namibian orphans grows daily, Catholic Aids Action’s work in this area also grows rapidly. Trained volunteers offer love, emotional, practical and educational support to over 17,000 registered children. The work of supporting these children begins before the child is orphaned, helping parents with their planning and transition. After the parent has died, Catholic Aids Action continues to work with the children’s caregiver(s) in the community to continue to provide support. This may include encouragement and support for education, referrals for medical intervention, provision of supplemental food, support groups and after-school programs, grief work, special holiday camps, and community advocacy. In some centres CAA and our volunteers run soup kitchens for the neediest children. An orphaned child meets many barriers on his or her way to further education. The “Saving Remnant Fund” was created to support the “best and brightest” orphans into secondary education. The program now supports 360 children in secondary education. In 2004 the Saving Remnant Fund managed to raise funding to support 5 children in tertiary education at University of Namibia and Polytechnic of Namibia. At the start of the 2006 academic year 7 students are being supported. To make sure the students will finish their studies despite difficulties in their lives, CAA volunteers support groups of students, thus ensuring a successful school career. It is our ambition to support 15 children by 2010 to attend University and Polytechnic.
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