Select Page

Hannah for Life saves infant lives

Natasja Beyleveld and Charlene Uakuramemua

“Whether you are a corporate giant, a small business or just you, what you give to others matters” said Natasja Beyleveld, the Managing Director of Namedia, a local media monitoring agency. Since its inception, NaMedia has had fun giving to those that need it most; from donating stationary to school girls and blankets to families, to donating blood, food to the hungry, as well as milk and other supplies to mothers and premature babies at the Katatura State Hospital Maternity Ward.

Beyleveld was named the Namibian Young Businesswoman of the Year in 2013. Last year she was invited to become a trustee of the charity run by the main Businesswoman award winner, Ericah Shafudah, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance. The trustees last week announced that the Ericah Shafudah Financial Management Foundation is sending the first three young women to university this year. “I wish to applaud Ericah in all her fruitful efforts. She has an excellent support network” noted Beyleveld. Beyleveld is also a (founding) trust member of the registered ‘Hannah Cares for Life’ trust fund, a pro-life anti baby dumping organisation, with fellow trust members Rheeder Van Wyk (owner of Ferrodrill) and social worker, Charlene Uakuramemua.  “We found each other through divine intervention and patience; in short we shared a dream”, said Beyleveld quoting a motto she came across recently: “do not sprint under pressure, rather run with purpose.”  She commended both Charlene and Rheeder for taking ownership of their callings in life. “We should ‘let go’ of what is important only to ourselves, and spend more time on thinking what is also important to those that have little hope. We all have shortcomings but the moment you put yourself in somebody else’s shoes you will be amazed at what wakens inside you. We are most certainly blessed to be a blessing”. Although the Hannah for Life trust fund has not been formally launched, Beyleveld asks any individual with ‘the same dream’ to contact her as they still need to find premises in Katutura as a collection point for the groceries they receive and distribute to poor families. Beyleveld said some doctors have already committed to pro-bono call-out work but the trust will need to find more partners offering time and money, and to support them over the long-term.

About The Author