Families gather to honour departed children at Global Candle Lighting ceremony
A poignant gathering took place at Gammams Cemetery recently as families and friends convened to pay tribute to their departed children during the worldwide Candle Lighting Ceremony.
The Deputy Mayor of the City of Windhoek, Joseph Uapingene, stood in solidarity with these families, unveiling the Children’s Memorial Plaque spanning from 2020 to 2023. Engraved on the plaque were the names of 31 children from across Namibia who had passed away.
Uapingene underscored the significance of this ceremony, emphasizing the city’s commitment to honoring departed children as an expression of enduring love and care. “By adding names to the memorial plaque, we offer our children a place of eternal remembrance. Let us demonstrate that they live on in our hearts,” he urged.
This touching tribute, initiated by General Maritz and Isabella Du Toit in 2013, stemmed from their loss—the tragic passing of their 17-year-old son in a motorcycle accident in 2010. The Du Toits generously donated the wall to the City of Windhoek as a space for grieving parents and families to find solace in their shared experiences of loss.
The unveiling at Gammams Cemetery marked the sixth annual presentation of the Children’s Memorial Plaque, a ceremony where parents can submit the names of their children who departed before reaching 21 years of age, commemorated on the plaque without charge. This event serves as an opportunity for collective remembrance and healing.
