“Before kids get to drink, they give water to the animals“

One of many sad truths in Africa we got to hear whilst our stay in Namibia, helping to build a school in a rural surrounding.

We probably all know that acces to water is a problem in Africa, but did we also know that people rather give water to their animals than to their kids?

With this project- “Water for a school in Namibia- Oromukandi ” we want to ensure that kids have always access to fresh water.

The well will be built at the school site, providing water to bathrooms, drinking facilities and will be used to water the school garden which we also want to ensure through your donation (more below).

After meetings with the headmaster, school board and the chiefs of the surrounded villages, we came to the agreemant that any overflow water will be donated to the village.

“The kids come mainly to school because of the food and usually they have just one meal a day” one of many statements that shocked us during our stay at a school in Namibia.

The food they get in school is called Pap- basically boiled corn with salt. It will fill their stomachs but is not very nutritious.

If they eat at home they’ll get the same, sometimes with milk, beans and the lucky ones get meat 3 times a year.

The himbas (indigenous people to Namibia) are nomads and know how to keep animals. Gardening and farming is simply not in their blood.

„Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day, teach a man how to fish and he will never be hungry again”

How do we want to help?

We want to teach! We want to teach the kids but also the parents, other family members, chiefs of the surrounded villages how to be efficient and live off the land they have.

This is why we are planning the project “Garden for a school in Namibia- Oromukandi” with vegetable and fruit gardens for consumption but also to win money with side products, which can be used for other food.

We want to focus on indigenous vegetables and fruits and also on the Namibian “Marula tree” which gives fruits and can be used to produce oil.

This gardens requires high beds, nets, special watering system but also people who will take care of it.

For this two projects (Water and Garden) we will need to collect 30.000€ and it will be used for the bore hole including transportation into a rural place the actual well, highbeds For the garden, automatic watering system, fence and plants.

Who is asking for the money ?

We are the Berghauers, a family from Slovakia which keeps supporting kids from different t countries since 1992. After our dads mother died, who always had an open heart for the ones in need he wanted to build a project in her name. That’s how we brought the school “Oromukandi Maria”to life.

Last year we finished the project.

During our 5 week stay we realized that it is not enough to just leave a building in the middle of nowhere. They need constant guidance, as they don’t know how to take care of a building and how to properly use it.

We love to support them even from far, by being in contact with the teachers and the contractors that build the school and also keep doing repairs if necessary.

You can follow the process of our actual and past projects on our Instagram [email redacted]ibia.grow