Na klar –
Berichte 2024
Geldausgaben 2024 des Namibia-Vereins
Nun ist es Mitte Dezember und Zeit, Sie zu informieren, was der Namibia-Unterstützungsverein mit dem von Ihnen anvertrauten Geldern in Namibia bewirken konnte. Mit ca. 67 300 € konnten wir dieses Jahr wieder unsere Projekte unterstützen. Für dieses Geld und das damit verbundene Vertrauen in unseren Verein sind wir Ihnen sehr dankbar.
Als Vereinsvorsitzender war ich mit meiner Frau dieses Jahr wieder zweimal für je 8 Wochen in Namibia. Dabei konnten wir die Projekte mit den Personen vor Ort evaluieren, begleiten und weiterentwickeln. Einige Projekte konnten wir auch neu initiieren.
Folgende Projekte konnten wir finanzieren:
- Zwei Suppenküchen in Okombahe (ca. 12 500 €)
- 80 Schüler in sechs Schülerheimen (ca. 10 800 €)
- Das Waisenhaus Hada-Huigo in Okombahe (ca. 17 500 €)
- Acht Auszubildende (ca. 11 500 €)
- Zwei Kindergärten und die Toy-Library (ca. 2 400 €)
- Unterstützung der Grundschule in Okombahe (ca. 2 900 €)
- Kindergottesdienst u. Konfirmanden in Okombahe (ca. 700€)
- Weitere Projekte (ca. 9 000 €)
Danke
Unser neugewählter Ausschuss des Namibia-Unterstützungsvereins bedankt sich ganz herzlich bei Ihnen für alle Spenden und konkrete Mithilfe bei den Projekten.
Mit Ihrer Hilfe und Ihren Spenden können wir auch im kommenden Jahr diese sinnvollen Projekte weiterführen.
- Arbeitseinsatz in Okombahe
- “Quo Vadis – Namibia Association”?
Our trainees
Margret and Joachim Knoche are now back in Namibia and report on the association’s projects.
On the first day in Windhoek we Shadow, visited one of the carpenter apprentices at KAYEC. Shadow dropped out of school in the 9th grade, was on the streets for a few years and applied to us last year to get a welder apprenticeship. However, his knowledge was not good enough and he did not pass the entrance exam. But he was accepted for a 6-month apprenticeship as a carpenter's assistant. He is living with relatives in Windhoek, and we are paying him a monthly allowance for travel and living expenses in Windhoek. At the end of the year he will hopefully have a small certificate that will help him to carry out simple carpentry work for a company or privately. Hopefully he will stick it out. We have encouraged him and will visit him again in four weeks.
We met five other trainees in Swakopmund.
Darleen is in the second year of her office training and has to complete a six-month internship at a company in the first half of 2025. Since it is already difficult to get an internship, she has already tried to get a job at a new company that wants to produce green hydrogen, in order to then get an internship there in the next half of the year. The company is being built about 200km north of Swakopmund right by the sea. Darleen has finished all her exams and only has to write the end-of-year exam. That's why she is already working there to make a good impression. She came back to Swakopmund in mid-October for the exams. The teachers at COSDEC attest that she is doing a good job, so that's fine with us. It's good when young people become creative and active themselves. She came to our hotel for breakfast because the company bus was about to take her to work 200km away. Not alone, of course, her friend Lena, who wants to apply for COSDEC with us this year, came along.
We met the other four trainees later in the morning.
Johnson and Christiana are in the second year of a tourism and hotel management training. read more
kindergartens in Okombahe and Pfedelbach
Margret and Joachim Knoche are now back in Namibia and report on the association’s projects.
Yesterday we visited the two kindergartens in Okombahe, which with the two kindergartens in Pfedelbach-Heuberg entered into a low-threshold relationship. This time we brought an African song from Pfedelbach that is sung there every morning to welcome the children: “Sani bona mi, good morning (name), Sani bona mi!”
We played it to both kindergartens here, they practiced it and used it for their children straight away. We'll be back in four weeks, record their singing and bring it back to Germany. We've announced a competition in both kindergartens to see who can do it more interestingly and rhythmically.
This is practical global learning:
All four kindergartens are looking beyond their own horizons and learning – completely free of charge – how children 9000km away interpret songs.
Speaking of money and standards:
When I see how few materials and building standards the children and teachers have to make do with here, I question our very high standards in Germany. A balance between all four kindergartens would be good for EVERYONE. A child born here in Germany has so many more opportunities!
African Vocals sangen in Untermünkheim
Die African Vocals, eine männliche a-cappella Gruppe aus den Townships von Swakopmund in Namibia, gaben ein Konzert in der gut gefüllten Evangelischen Kirche in Untermünkheim.
Schon vorher fanden bei regnerischem Wetter ein Stehempfang und ein Verkauf von afrikanischem Kunsthandwerk in der Kirche statt.
Acht junge Namibia erfüllten die Kirche mit Ihren kräftigen Stimmen und versprühten afrikanische Lebensfreude. Das Konzert der African Vocals war voller Dynamik, Rhythmus und Emotionen. Sie sangen sehr unterschiedliche Lieder, mal lustig und spaßig, dann aber auch wieder ruhig, ernsthaft und besinnlich. Viele Lieder passten zu dem kirchlichen Ambiente. Das begeisterte Publikum ging so gut mit, dass die Gesangsgruppe die Liederliste spontan verlängerte und die zweite „Hälfte“ deutlich länger wurde als die erste.
Obwohl der Eintritt zum Konzert frei war und die African Vocals ihre vereinbarte Gage bekamen, hat der Namibia Unterstützungsverein zusätzliche Einnahmen für die laufenden Projekte in Namibia bekommen. Der Verein bedankt sich bei allen Spendern und ebenfalls für die Einladung und die hervorragenden technischen Vorbereitung durch die Evangelische Kirchengemeinde.
13,202 km
Three weeks of CITY CYCLING in Pfedelbach are over and in "Team Namibia" were 46 active cyclists. These 46 people cycled a total of 13,202 km and even beat the second place among all Pfedelbach teams and the fifth place of all teams in the Hohenlohe district. The average per capita was 287 km, two people are even over 1,000 km cycled in the three weeks.
Congratulations to all drivers and to the
Team Captain Margret Knoche.
The entire team cycled for the club’s projects in Namibia.
Twelve (12) sponsors
had promised
1 cent per kilometer driven
to donate to the school and children's projects in Namibia.
The sponsors are
·
Mrs. Berner from Berner GmbH in Künzelsau,
·
Mr. Rode from the Kosmas Pharmacy in Pfedelbach,
·
Fabian Sinn from Erdbau GmbH from Oberhöfen,
·
Hansjörg Stickel from Hosti GmbH in Pfedelbach
·
Dr. Gunter Hermann, Pfedelbach
·
ADTV Dance School, Reutlingen
·
six private donors
12 cents per kilometer, that is 12 times 13,202 cents
total of €1,584.24.
Cycle with us and do something good!
The Namibia Support Association eV is again taking part in the CITY CYCLING of the municipality of Pfedelbach from the June 1 to June 21 part.
We would like to use the kilometers cycled by “Team Namibia” to support the people in Okombahe / Namibia. At the beginning of this year, we increased the expense allowances of all employees and the expenses for the two soup kitchens by an average of about 25%, because in Namibia too, all food and transport costs have risen sharply.
So far, already 10 sponsors again agreed 1 cent per kilometer cycled to support, but we are still looking for more sponsors. You are welcome to become a sponsor!
Will you be a member of “Team Namibia”?
If you are interested in joining the "Team Namibia" To register, please register at www.stadtradeln.de/pfedelbach and choose the "Team Namibia" to.
Margret Knoche is the proven team captain from "Team Namibia!"
As Pfedelbacher It costs nothing, you just have to enter your cycled kilometers on a trust basis – all kilometers count, also those outside Pfedelbach!!!!
For all NON-Pfedelbach residents:
We can offer any driver who is in Pfedelbach lives, works or in a Pfedelbacher club member is, happy to include!
If you do not meet these criteria, you are welcome to join our club (declaration of accession ) and then cycle with Team Namibia and do something good at the same time.
Every kilometer driven already helps with 10 cents.
The African Vocals are giving another concert near us
The African Vocals are a male a cappella group from the townships of Swakopmund in Namibia. In 2024 they will tour Germany for the fifth time.
On
Wednesday, July 3, 7 pm
the group
in the Evangelical Church in Untermünkheim
There will be a standing reception and a sale of African handicrafts in front of the church from 6 p.m. There will also be a small refreshment with finger food and drinks.
For the third time
after 2019 and 2023, the
Namibia Support Association eV, Pfedelbach,
Host the African Vocals and organize the concert.
The a cappella band was founded in 2012
....
Maihocketse in Oberhöfen, 30. April ab 19Uhr
Neuer Namibia-Ausschuss - neues LOGO
Bei der
zwölften Jahreshauptversammlung
des Namibia Unterstützungsvereins e.V. hat sich der neue Ausschuss konstituiert.
Der Vorstand wurde einstimmig bestätigt: Joachim Knoche (Pfedelbach) 1.Vorsitzender, Susanne Zeller (Öhringen) 2.Vorsitzende, Margot Fiedler (Pfedelbach) Kassiererin.
Ebenso bestätigt wurden die bisherigen Ausschussmitglieder Steffen Fiedler (Pfedelbach), Tatjana Knoche (Öhringen), Margret Knoche (Pfedelbach), Susanne Schwab (Schöntal-Bieringen) und Jana Käppler (Neuenstein, nicht auf dem Bild). Jürgen Schweizerhof (Öhringen), Ruth und Jonathan Hägele (Untermünkheim) haben sich neu in den Ausschuss wählen lassen.
Die finanziellen Aufwendungen im Jahr 2023 beschrieb der Vorstand in seinem Jahresbericht. Diese Daten und Fakten können hier auf der Homepage unter AKTUELL in einer Präsentation angeschaut werden.
Bei der Jahreshauptversammlung wurde auch ein neues Vereins-LOGO (siehe oben) und der Entwurf eines neuen Flyers verabschiedet.
Post aus Namibia, Teil 5
Nun sind Margret und Joachim Knoche schon wieder in Deutschland, berichten aber in einem abschließenden 5.Teil über ihre Zeit in Namibia in den letzten Wochen ihrer Reise.
Wir sind wieder an der Martin-Luther-High-School zurück. Beate haben wir zum Flughafen gebracht, einige Erledigungen in Windhoek getätigt und in Omaruru eingekauft. Leider wurde Margret mit hohem Fieber krank, Magen-Darm-Grippe. Nun ist sie aber wieder okay. In den letzten Tagen haben wir hier noch einmal alle unterstützten Schüler des Grundschul- und des Sekundarschul-Hostels und der MLH gesehen, sie zum Arbeiten ermutigt und mit ihnen für ihr Schuljahr gebetet.
Von unserer „Post aus Namibia“ kamen von Ihnen als Leser Anregungen, die wir nun teilweise ausprobieren wollen. Den Sekundarschülern haben wir gesagt, dass diejenigen, die sich beim Lernen anstrengen und keine Schwierigkeiten bereiten, sich am Schluss des Jahres auf einen Bonus, vielleicht ein paar extra Toilettenartikel, freuen dürfen. Mal sehen, ob diese positive Verstärkung hilfreich und sinnvoll ist.
Auch habe ich bei der Abgabe der vielen gestifteten Kugelschreibern an die Schulen immer dazugesagt, dass sie nicht einfach so verteilt werden sollen, sondern als Belohnung für gute Leistungen, extra Arbeiten oder für einen geringen Beitrag abgegeben werden sollen. Dies ist hoffentlich ein kleines Zeichen, der „autere“- oder „Gib mir“-Mentalität entgegenzuwirken. Doch bei all diesen Anregungen müssen wir sehr vorsichtig sein, denn Afrikaner sind stolz und es darf nicht der Eindruck entstehen, sie als Bettler zu sehen.
Dieser Eindruck mag bei der Fertigstellung der Renovierungsarbeiten für den Kindergarten in Okombahe entstanden sein. weiterlesen
Post from Namibia, Part 4
Now Margret and Joachim Knoche already back in Germany, but report in a 4th and 5th part about their time in Namibia in the last weeks of their stay.
For a few days we were also in
Swakopmund,
where, among other things, we especially visited four of the trainees at COSDEC -
Darleen, Johnson, Christiana and Petronella
- have visited.
The trainees make a good impression, are grateful for the monthly support and are working well in their training. We were able to give Petronella, one of the new trainees who is studying to be an office clerk, a donated tablet with a new matching keyboard.
The situation is different with
Marvellous
, who is training to be a nurse. Since her training is significantly more expensive, we agreed last year that we would only finance her training and her family would pay for her living expenses. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be working out, as she has become ill due to health problems and not having enough to eat. When I heard about her call for help, I immediately had Magthe transfer money to her for healthy food. After visiting her, we decided together on the spot that from this month on she would receive a small food allowance specifically for vegetables and fruit.
Post from Namibia, Part 3
Now Margret and Joachim Knoche We have been in Namibia for over a month and are reporting on some of our experiences.
This time I don’t want to talk about the lack, but about some more positive experiences.
Laurenz
was a former, very conscientious student of mine. He supervised the computer room and later continued my computer lessons after I left. Through the school contact of the
MLH to the Lünen Comprehensive School
he learned
jasmine
Now they are married, have little twins and live on a farm near
Omatjete.
They have founded an association for sustainable gardening and are trying to live it in an exemplary manner on their farm.
Unfortunately, water is a big problem
, their borehole has dried up, and the fruitless search for another borehole has cost them a lot of money. Now they fetch fresh water for the household and garden once a week.
We went there with four people from Okombahe
, all of which have their own small garden, on Monday.
Post from Namibia, Part 2
Now Margret and Joachim Knoche already a month in Namibia and report on some experiences there:
funeral of the president
Last Sunday, after three weeks, the late President Hage Gaingob was (finally) buried, an intense time with many eulogies and memories. All schools and institutions had to organize a day of mourning.
His humanity, his easy closeness to the Namibians, his Christian faith, but also his open, often uncomfortable words towards Namibians, but also towards Germany's Israel policy, for example, were repeatedly highlighted and praised afterwards. Such words are only heard at the grave, because in the past he also made enemies through his openness. The weekend was free for all Namibians from Friday to Monday. At the state funeral, Frank was also a blessing (!)
Walter Steinmeier
present, I believe the only non-socialist president. That was an important and good sign for the tense relationship between Namibia and Germany.
Further aspects on the topic of shortage
In the last letter I wrote a lot about the lack caused by people’s poverty. But in many conversations with locals it becomes increasingly clear to me that
that this deficiency has many different aspects.
For example, I just found out that Yvonne cannot organize a soup kitchen today because once again in Okombahe – without prior announcement –
the water was turned off.
No one seems to be able to officially answer why the water has been turned off for several days at a time in recent months. Is it because the groundwater level has fallen, is it because of the pipes, is it because of human unreliability, or, or... Now the student hostel will have no water either. Clean water must now be organized somewhere in the town for many people. Perhaps the government will bring a tanker truck tomorrow in case the water is out for a longer period of time.
Worrying about basic needs makes everyday life so stressful that people often don’t want to or can’t deal with other problems.
The bakery in Okombahe, which we supported for a while as a start-up, shows me more and more clearly how
human guilt
are often reasons for the deficiency.
Post from Namibia, Part 1
Margret and Joachim Knoche are currently in Namibia and report on some experiences.
The shortage
A Friday evening and Saturday morning were marked by an online partnership seminar for southern Africa. The topic was actually
"Women's Power in the Churches"
of southern Africa, but it quickly became clear that men and women in the churches here – including in leadership positions –
actually earn nothing
and mostly work voluntarily and for “God’s reward”. The local congregations function well, but for the church leadership and for higher institutions – such as the
Martin Luther High School
– there is no money. The church leadership in Windhoek and the employees have not received a salary for months, the regional church office is closed, the guest houses and the seminars are working without pay. Most employees carry on working “somehow” and hope that money will come back “at some point”. We cannot imagine this shortage in Germany.
This omnipresent lack is not only in the church, but actually everywhere we go. Schools lack books and materials, student dormitories lack beds, mattresses and lockers for children to lock away their personal belongings. School kitchens lack plates, cutlery, tables and chairs, most cars lack maintenance and petrol - and yet everyday life goes on. For Margret and me, this is always difficult to bear in everyday life!
How can this work?
The student hostels receive food from the state. The government occasionally provides people
Konsequenzen aus den Teuerungen in Namibia
Seit über einem Jahr hören wir von unseren Projektpartnern in Namibia, dass die Lebensmittelpreise sehr stark ansteigen und sie mit dem bisherigen Geld nicht mehr auskommen. Die beiden Suppenküchen können am Ende des Monats nur noch sehr bedingt ein vollwertiges, gesundes Essen kochen. Meine Frau und ich waren ja letztes Jahr von August bis November auch in Namibia und können diese Preisentwicklung bestätigen.
Waran liegt es?
Zum einen ist der namibische Dollar seit der Unabhängigkeit im Jahre 1990 an den südafrikanischen Rand gekoppelt. Hauptsächlich durch wirtschaftliche Schwierigkeiten in Südafrika verlor der Rand gegenüber dem Euro in den letzten drei Jahre mehr als 25% seines Wertes: Vor drei Jahren bekam ein Tourist 16 namibische Dollar für einen Euro, heute sind es schon gut 20 Dollar. Das hat zur Folge, dass alle Waren, die von Übersee nach Südafrika oder nach Namibia kommen, ca. 25% teurer sind.
Zum anderen hat der Krieg in der Ukraine auch im südlichen Afrika die Preise deutlich erhöht. Wir merken das ja bei uns im Lande auch. So lag die offizielle Inflation im Jahr 2021 noch bei 3,6%, sie stieg jedoch im Jahr 2022 auf 6,1% und lag im vergangenen Jahr bei 6,0%. Das heißt im Klartext, die Preise sind in den letzten drei Jahren um ca. 16% inflationsbedingt gestiegen.
Im Ausschuss des Namibia-Unterstützungsvereins haben wir uns damit beschäftigt und ... weiterlesen
