Winter Drive let the children of Maxuilili experience the joy of a good meal

Around 2000 children from the Maxuilili informal settlement in Katutura attended a special day for kids, organised by a local charity in partnership with several donor companies. During the day, the children received a home-cooked meal, clothes, blankets, toys and basic toiletries.

Namkid, a local group founded by Jasmine-Rose Goagoses, and partners Nonelwa Gqwede, Taitum Coetzee and Jasmine Garises, hosted the day for the children under the banner, Winter Drive. The foursome and their supporters are artists, musicians, designers and teachers, who one day realized that all the things they take for granted, is a luxury to another person.

Not only is Winter Drive a day of relief, it also brings together partners that see the value of sustainable change within a community, and the long-term effects that this can create. Mr Sidney Boois from Global Youth Initiative (Youth Max) as well as a representative from the Presidential office Ms Teckla Uwanga both offered words of kindness and resolve to the people who gathered at the event, ensuring them that not a single man, woman or child will be overlooked, promising the children that similar events will be held more often.

A substantial sponsorship enabled the Namkid group to ensure that every child who attended enjoyed a warm meal, and received basic items such as soap, toothbrushes, sanitary pads, and deodorant. Hampers with rice, soup, tinned food and mixed vegetables were also put together and handed to the people, some of them so young that they struggled to carry the gift.

The participating sponsors comprised Sister Namibia, Youth Max, Primedia, Namibia Breweries Ltd, Supra Sales – Johnson & Johnson, Food Lovers Market and many individuals who donated clothes, shoes and other items for the day. Hollard Life was the main sponsor.