Javaza is a girl with a dream. The 14-year-old from Namibia wants to become a lawyer. “I want to grow up, be somebody, and help other people in return,” Javaza shared.
Mammadu, a non-profit in her home country, is helping students like Javaza get the education they need to pursue their dreams. Mammadu aims to be a safe place for children from the community whose parents might be working, abusing alcohol, or are deceased due to HIV/AIDS. Namibia’s HIV infection rate is 11.1%, the sixth highest in the world.
“Mammadu was started to take care of the children who were playing in the streets,” Domenica Deiure, Mammadu’s manager, said. “If someone needs [it], we help,” she added. Mammadu supports children in Otjomuise, which is one of the poorest communities on the outskirts of Windhoek, Namibia’s capital.
The nonprofit helps pay for children’s school fees and supports them with extras for their education, such as after-school teachers, meals, and school uniforms.
Javaza has been coming to Mammadu since she was six years old. “They help us have a nice childhood by taking us on tours around Namibia and making sure we are mentally and physically okay,” Javaza shared.
“Mammadu pays for my school. Without Mammadu, I wouldn’t have the good education or the support I have now,” she said. “It would be hard for me to deal me with high school without Mammadu.”
