Africa-Press – Namibia. MEMBERS of the Groot Aub community are still living in dilapidated structures where they experience a lack of clean water and sanitation, as well as struggle to afford food.
Anna Afrikaner (70) says they are tired of living without clean water. “We are living in poverty, poverty, poverty. “I use two litres to bath, and we can go days without food and water.
“We just want clean water.” Afrikaner says she and her husband, who is in his 70s, are forced to walk a kilometer to get water from the nearest borehole.
They make the slow trip with a wheelbarrow. They also live in darkness, she says. “As soon as the sun goes down, I am already annoyed and scared. I can’t remember the last time I saw the lights. The only light we see is when we wake up the next day, the sun,” Afrikaner says.
A senior citizen in the community says they were happy when a few individuals decided to help them with some food to eat, as the majority of residents are already struggling to get water and food.
Even though the food is not enough, it’s better than going to bed on a hungry stomach, she says. “These ladies from Safe Haven said they want to do something for us on Christmas. We are already excited,” she says.
Founder of Safe Haven Nadia Lawrence says the community is living in extreme poverty, which is why they decided to help where they can. She says the area consists mostly of the elderly and young unemployed people with little or no income to provide for their daily needs.
“It’s with great sadness and an overwhelming feeling of despair that we have to witness this every day. Elderly people have to walk long distances to get firewood because there is no electricity.
“Pupils are still using candles to study and do their homework, and children still go to bed on an empty stomach,” she says. Safe Haven member Jeanin Zeal says they want to help their community but there is not enough food, to assist.
“On 1 September, we held a fun day where we fed the young and elderly in the community, I still remember some kids saying that will be their last meal for the day,” she says. Zeal says they will have a Christmas dinner on 23 December for the elderly and children from Groot Aub.
“We are asking everyone who is willing to help, to assist us with food to make the Groot Aub residents happy. Any form of donation will be helpful. We just want to make a Christmas dream come true for disadvantaged kids from our community,” she says.
Zeal said they need vegetables, meat, rice, and anything they can cook to make a nice meal for their community and ask the public to assist where they can.
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