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German Embassy supports Taking Hands Educational Centre in Omaruru
Group Photo, © German Embassy Windhoek
On Friday, 26 January 2024, the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Windhoek, Dr. Thorsten Hutter visited the new “Taking Hands Educational Centre” in the Hakahana township in Omaruru.
In 2023 the German Embassy Windhoek provided a grant of 432,000 NAD to the Taking Hands Trust to build a new inclusive day care Centre. Additional funding came from Taking Hands Namibia-Deutschland e.V. and Samaritan’s Purse.
The existing Centre had been temporarily accommodated on the premises of a local church and proved too small to facilitate the growing number of children.
The new Taking Hands Educational Centre now offers early childhood development to about 40 children and after-school support to about 90 children. It also offers schooling to 10 children with disabilities, as the Centre serves as a place where children with and without disabilities learn how to communicate with each other, accept each other, learn and play together.
Brigitte Bredenkamp, the headmistress, presented the premises to Ambassador Hutter, which has a sewing workshop, several classrooms, a computer room, an office, toilets, a playground, a kitchen und sufficient space for the children to enjoy the meals provided by the Centre.
The new Centre has also incorporated a therapy room. Therapy is being provided by qualified occupational therapist Andrea Bertelsmann and physiotherapist, Alec Nyanhete, to the children with disabilities according to their special needs.
Dr. Hutter applauded the commitment by the social workers, teachers and staff of the Centre to improve the daily life of these children.
