Volunteer work at the Children Center in Namibia

Your placement: The Children Center in Windhoek
The Children Center in Windhoek belongs to a registered NGO that offers day care for orphans and other children living in poor neighborhoods. The facility has various sanitary facilities and three classrooms. There is a playground and a soccer field outside for the children to play in. The idea behind this is to keep the boys and girls off the streets as much as possible.

Additional rooms for alternative activities such as sewing and handicrafts are also available in the vicinity. For example, the facility has its own bakery that sells bread to the neighborhood every day. A total of around 40 children are cared for here and receive help with their schoolwork.

The Children Center has three permanent employees who are normally supported by up to five volunteers. Your tasks are basically to actively support the social workers on site, take some of the strain off the system and, of course, give the children attention.

Your tasks in day care
In the morning, you will welcome around 20 children, who are usually between three and five years old. You will play, sing, and talk with the children, which will make you both a contact person and a caregiver. In the afternoon, more school-age children will arrive, who will be very happy for your help with their homework. With educational games and your own ideas, you will enrich their educational experience and give them new perspectives.

You will also provide extensive support with serving meals, as a warm meal is essential for the children's learning abilities. So you help with distributing the food and then tidy up afterwards. If you enjoy sports or have another exciting hobby, you are welcome to consult with the social workers to organize fun and free afternoon activities with the children. Small excursions are also permitted!

Your daily work in the project
You will usually work from Monday to Friday, either in the morning or in the afternoon. The exact time depends on various factors and will be clarified on site. Your working day normally starts at 7:30 a.m. and ends around 5:00 p.m. You will usually have the weekend off.

Your free time in Windhoek
You can look forward to exciting insights into Namibia's history, lively markets and colonial architecture – ideal for exploring and enjoying. For nature adventures, there are safaris, hikes or sandboarding in the impressive dunes of Sossusvlei.