The rain cleared just in time on Saturday and the Christmas market in Gilze could be visited without an umbrella. Home of Good Hope (HoGH) Gilze en Rijen is always present to inform visitors about its project 'Monica's Soup Kitchen'. And of course to raise money through campaigns to support approximately 600 children from the Goreangab slum in Windhoek, Namibia. And this, from the Netherlands, for 15 years now!

To give these brave children a Merry Christmas, we campaigned for this special project at the Christmas market. With thanks to the PLUS supermarket in Gilze, which provided a large bag packed with food for this purpose. Many people contributed by taking a gamble and guessing the value of the contents of the bag for 1 euro. In addition, all kinds of Christmas items were for sale from the beautifully decorated stall at a reasonable price, all to continue supporting 'our' children.

We do this with all our love and pleasure. It is very satisfying to receive grateful messages from children from Namibia, now adults, who have graduated or found a good job thanks to the support of Home of Good Hope. Like Christian, who graduated this summer as a lawyer. Our help gave his life a different turn, and he is very grateful to us for this.

We look back on a very pleasant, intimate Christmas market in Gilze with music, lanterns, Santa Claus, mulled wine and many visitors who warmly supported our campaign and we wish everyone happy and happy holidays!

It was enjoyable at the annual market in Rijen. Autumn holidays and nice weather created a perfect ambiance. For many people this was a perfect reason to visit this annual market. And a great day for the market stallholders, including Home of Good Hope (HoGH). We have been present for many years to provide information about and ask for support for the ' Monica Imanga's Soup Kitchen'. A successful HoGH project for a large number of children from the Goreangab slum, Windhoek, Namibia. 

For more than 15 years, under Monica's inspiring leadership, around 600 children have been receiving a healthy meal every day. Vulnerable children from poor (incomplete) families, living in meagre buildings without their own water supply and electricity. Children who are encouraged by HoGH to go to school and are supported with homework classes. From disadvantaged to promising.

As a 'charity' we are at the annual market with an appealing stall. And many visitors to the market know where to find us. The 'kiss for a euro' was very much appreciated and provoked nice reactions. Even if you couldn't win a prize, the people thoroughly enjoyed the chocolate kiss. 

With enthusiastic and committed volunteers, we have again been able to realize a nice yield this year. A profit that directly and fully benefits the children in providing the daily meal, education and sports. We certainly owe that nice yield to some generous prize donors. You can't have a 'lottery' without nice prizes! And we had a lovely grand prize, a crate with groceries from 'Jumbo' Kiske Hapers, a beautiful flower voucher from De Roozelaar and tasty lunch vouchers from Smaak Lokaal. Thank you very much!

At the annual market we made a lot of people happy, here and in Namibia.

Because the living conditions of the children in the slum have deteriorated further, the help of Monica and Home of Good Hope is much needed.
Fortunately, there is help for these children and we can also help Monica again and again with the extras that are desperately needed.
Monica and her volunteers are very busy.
And as we wrote last time, the Soup Kitchen is being used en masse, the homework classes are running at full speed and the sports season has also started again.
Good news is that it seems that this year the long-dreamed wish of a permanent building will be fulfilled.
But more is needed and thankfully, due to fortunate circumstances we have been able to do a lot more this spring.

Extra sponsored
This spring we were able to sponsor the much-needed extras.
Thanks to Fair Mundo Travel. A small travel company with a mission that not only organizes trips, but also really wants to mean something to people who need it.
We consulted Monica to find out what was desperately needed.
First of all, there was a great need for warm blankets for the children. In the winter season it can freeze at night while during the day it is more than 20°C.
The people in the township live in rickety corrugated iron houses with a lot of draft. It is very cold at night and the children get respiratory infections and especially a lot of colds!
There was also a need for shade tents (gazebos) with windbreaks. The children can wait outside underneath these so that they do not have to stand in the bright sun and the washing-up crew will also find shade. The gazebos can be folded after use and stored indoors.
Finally, there was a need for good stainless steel tables for handing out the food and preparing the extra sandwiches.
And then of course also extra tables and chairs for the children in the homework classes and / or at the childcare.
Monica first asked for a quote to see if it was all within the budget. And yes, a great wish could be fulfilled.
Thanks to the fantastic help of this small travel company, Monica was able to purchase a lot of warm blankets and scarves for the children. There were also two large shade tents with windshields on the side, so that the children do not have to wait in the scorching sun and the dishes can also be done in the shade and out of the wind. And in addition to the 2 new tables and 8 new chairs for the children, two stainless steel tables for the staff have also been purchased, partly to be able to hand out the food and partly to prepare extra sandwiches.
Fair Mundo Travel is going to Namibia this summer with one of their trips and will try to visit Monica and her soup kitchen. Contacts have been found and there has already been consultation with Monica.
We are curious and hope that it succeeds.

April 2023

Monica and her team are working hard to create a better future for the children.
The summer holidays for the kids  ended more than 2 months ago and the photos show us that Home of Good Hope is doing well. The Soup Kitchen is used a lot, the homework classes are running at full speed and the sports season has also started again.