Adopt a child initiative launched

Dr Christina Swart-Opperman, founder of the Christina Swart-Opperman AIDS Orphan Foundation Trust this week launched the “Adopt a child” initiative.
According to Dr Christina Swart-Opperman, the initiative was launched as part of ongoing efforts to address a challenge the Trust faces – the lack of sufficient funds to care for all children who have been made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS.
“The purpose of this initiative is to solicit support from the Namibian society. The needs of these children are often as basic as the next meal,” she said.
According to Swart-Oppermann, in order to provide basic support, a donation of N$500 per month is required. Donations of N$1 000 per child per month will enable the trust to provide clothing and a blanket for the winter months.
She is therefore calling upon individuals and corporate companies to actively participate and ‘adopt a child.’
“Everyone can make a contribution towards social reform in Namibia. Please be involved,” Swart-Oppermann urged.
Both individuals and corporate companies can make a contribution. Individual categories ranges from silver to gold.
For silver, individuals can “adopt a child” and make a basic contribution toward food of N$500, gold a contribution of N$700 towards food and clothing and platinum a contribution of
N$1 000 towards food, clothing and school fees.
While corporate companies can also make monthly contributions and either ‘adopt a child’ or even ‘adopt a home’ and can support children in categories such as the pioneer, gold and platinum categories.
For the pioneer category, corporate companies can make a basic contribution of N$10 000 that will go towards food.
In the gold category, companies can make a contribution of N$20 000 which will be used to buy food and clothing while for the flagship category, companies can contribute N$40 000 that will go towards food, clothing and school fees.
The trust will administer the funds provided. “Everyone contributing will receive a photograph of the child and how their funds were spent,” Swart-Oppermann said.
The Christina Swart-Opperman AIDS Orphan Foundation Trust was launched on 26 February 2003.  The trust aims to address the needs of the AIDS orphans in the country as well as work towards the upliftment and improvement of the quality of life of all AIDS orphans in Namibia.