Child need to be able to play and have fun!  Many of our kids experienced activities and games like this for the first time.  Thank you Bianca Von Lieres and Gwendal Cochet, owners of Matiti Safaris, and your staff for making this possible.

The staff and family at Matiti Safaris worked incredibly hard to ensure more than 500 children from Havana and Hakahana in Katutura were treated to an unforgettable experience to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Day of the African Child. They organized and managed activities that most of the children have never experienced before. Kids were treated to finger-painting, a jumping castle, face painting, musical chairs, pop-the-balloon for a prize, and a nourishing thick soup with buttered brotchens. The care and love the Matiti staff put into making this a special day for the kids in the community was very moving. All of their employees who were not on safaris took part in the event, including the principals of the company, Bianca Von Lieres and Gwendal Cochet. Ramona Bowe, who is responsible for Matiti Safaris’ Social Responsibility group, spent the week prior to the event working with her colleagues to make sure everything went off without a hitch! What a great day it was! The kids had a blast! We are sending our heart-felt gratitude to all of the staff and their families at Matiti Safaris.

For those of you who don’t know Matiti Safaris, they are a well-established inbound tour company in Namibia who can essentially organize anything and everything to do with travel here. They offer scheduled organized tour departures throughout the year and also tailor make experiences for visitors from all over the world. Next time you recommend someone to a travel company for their visit in Namibia, please suggest Matiti Safaris. They believe in giving back to the community and do so out of commitment to the betterment of our country. Their social responsibility encompasses many activities. Family of Hope Services is grateful for their support. www.matitisafaris.com

From left to right, Ramona Bowe and Rejane De Voss from Matiti Safaris. Ramona broke her leg a few weeks before the event and she worked tirelessly nonetheless. This was one of the few moments where she was actually sitting.

Staff and management at Matiti Safaris!

Franck Bergeron from Matiti Safaris with one of the boys from the community about to pop a balloon for a prize.

Asnat Messag from Matiti Safaris enjoying herself as she interacts with the children.

Children having fun playing musical chairs.  There were lots of good laughs.

Children lining up to enter the Centre for the activities. The twenty groups of children were managed by women in the community from  branches within Moses Garoeb.  The Community Leaders rallied the kindergarten teachers to identify children in need to participate in the event.  Several of the groups were managed by women from the Women and Men Against Crime network.

More face painting by Carolina Mouton with Matiti Safaris.

The children wore their best clothes for this occasion. It was a big event for all of them.

Martin Imongwa from Matiti Safaris, keeping the fire going under the soup.

Buttering 600 brotchens. From left to right Ana Paulo, Family of Hope Services; ,Blandine Tourain, Matiti Safaris; Aloisia Aipanda, Matiti Safaris; Tonata (volunteer and friend of Matiti Safaris employee); Rejane De Voss, Matiti Safaris.

Family of Hope Services Traditional Dancers

Gwendal Cochet and Rejane De Voss getting the soup ready to serve.

Children enjoying a nourishing meal.

Bianca Von Lieres meeting the children while serving soup.

What a day!