After School Centre ASC - MGEPESW

After School Centre (ASC)

The After School Centre is a government initiative towards strengthening the social well being of Namibian Children. The After School Centre specifically focuses on disadvantaged children such as street children and children from economically challenged families and communities in Windhoek. The After School Centre is born out of the realization of the plight of the street children of Namibia and it's fully administrated under the auspices of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child welfare.

1. AFTER SCHOOL CENTRE ACTIVITIES

The After School Centre has the capacity to cater for 500 children frequenting the centre at any given time. These children are usually between the ages of 6 to 18, although some older children also make use of the facilities. These are the children who hail from disadvantaged backgrounds, where families live in overcrowded conditions with no facilities for children to play or learn through extra curricular activities. The Centre is also ideal for children with single working parents who do not have anyone to take care of the children after school.

Activities under this programme include the following:

• Assist children with home work
• Arts and Craft
• Sport (e.g. Wrestling, Gymnastics, Soccer, Boxing and Netball)
• Cultural Activities
• Library Facilities
• Music & Drama
• HIV/AIDs Awareness Club
• Computer class (basic)
• Psycho-Social Support (PSS)

 

2. STREET CHILDREN PROGRAM

School and Family Integration: 
This programme is directed for children on the Streets and aims to integrate the street children into formal and informal schooling. The children are integrated into boarding schools and are provided with material support. During school holidays and exit weekends, staff members of the Ministry conducts regular home visits to support the families and street visits to ensure that the children do not go back to the streets.

Interim Night Shelter:
The Interim Night Shelter admits children between the ages of six (6) to eighteen (18) years. The shelter provides overnight accomodation for chilren found on the streets.

Various services are provided to the children whilst awaiting reintegration into society (community, families and educational institutions). The children also benefit from the rest of the activities offered at the centre.

The following are part of the street children programme (OVC)

• Home and Street Visit
• School Integration
• Family Integration
• Counselling
• Tracing of Family
• Holiday activities
• Interim night shelter
• Soup kitchen

The children are integrated into different schools in various regions namely; Hardap, Khomas, Omaheke and Otjozontjupa. The children are integrated both into formal education, tertiary education as well as vocational training.

 

3. INCOME GENERATING PROJECTS

The Income Generating Project was created to assist the parents of street children. Parents can generate their own income by making use of the project. These in turn, empower them to take care of their children, thus preventing these children from going back to the streets. The project also provides the opportunity for children to generate income on a lower level.

This prevents them from going to the streets and beg for money. Some of the income generating activities especially for children, young mothers and other boys that cannot go to school include:

• Gardening
• Sewing
• Beads

We partner with different stakeholders such as line Ministries, NGO's, FBO's, UN agencies, Business Communities and the City Police (regarding the patrolling of streets).

 

Back to Services...