Warmth in winter for the homeless sprouts from warm parliamentary hearts
The National Council chairperson, Hon Margaret Mensah-Williams this week launched another campaign to help Namibia’s most vulnerable, the homeless people, get through the winter with the aid of blankets, clothing, food and other necessities.
Mensah-Williams stated that she has introduced a chairperson’s action plan to raise public awareness of the plight of homeless people and street children. Kickstarting the campaign, she announced that she has personally donated fifty storm blankets which was distributed on Thursday to a group of homeless people who visited the National Council chambers on invitation of its chairperson.
Through the campaign, her intention is to mobilise the goodwill of the private sector to support the action plan with more donations, particularly of essentials for the homeless. She called on all Namibians to donate items such as warm blankets, clothes, non-perishable food, over the counter medicines and toiletries for the many homeless children and adults who live on the fringes of society.
“Many of you might be aware of the unnecessary loss of life that has occurred in recent years due to hypothermia. Indeed, winters on the streets of Windhoek and all over Namibia can be harsh. Many street kids and homeless people go without adequate protection from the elements throughout the winter months. It is a miracle how they survive without a roof over their heads and with no warm blankets or clothing during the coldest part of the year,” said the chairperson when she launched her campaign.
“Through donations from the general public and from corporates, our objective is to collect warm blankets and other basic winter necessities and give them free of charge to homeless people who, for one reason or another, find themselves sleeping anywhere that was not designed for regular human habitation for a prolonged period of time,” she said.
To reach out and support the homeless, Mensah-Williams asked all kind-hearted Namibians to donate blankets, warm clothing, either new or used provided it is still in a good condition, non-perishable food like biscuits, canned fruit, cereals, coffee, tea and sugar, non-prescription medicines and dignity kits containing sanitary pads, soap, toothbrushes and towels.
All donations can be delivered to the National Council’s administration building where the office of the chairperson is located.
