NAMIBIA Don Bosco Private School in received classroom furniture thanks to a donation from Furniture Reuse Solutions secured by , the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Furniture Reuse Solutions has a commitment to sustainability and societal benefit. The company provides charities and nonprofits with gifts-in-kind donations that aid in their humanitarian missions.
The furniture is being used in the classrooms, computer lab, staff room and small school hall. All of these locations lacked furniture before this donation arrived. The donation has impacted 230 students, 16 teaching staff and indirectly more than 500 parents who are happy with the resources for their children.
Wooden tables have been added to the staff room, where meetings are held and teachers do their lesson preparations. Previously, some teachers did not have teacher tables in their classrooms, so this has improved the environment and made their work easier to accomplish.
The combination of desks and chairs for students is the first of its kind at Don Bosco Private School. Salesians report that the furniture has made the learning environment more relaxing for the students, who would have otherwise been disadvantaged because of the lack of desks and chairs. The new desks and chairs also create neatness in the class and with more space for movement among the rows and for class activities. Both students and teachers appreciate the new classroom set-up. The school plans to add more classrooms in order to better serve the local population.
One of the students who benefited from the donation is Naita Cesilia Haure, age 11 and in fourth grade. She lives in Ndama, where most houses are made from pieces of corrugated iron with a tarp covering the outdoor cooking area. Ndama area is one of the most populated informal areas, with more than 76,000 people. It is also close to a garbage dump and has no running water or electricity for the majority of homes.
Haure is another beneficiary. She is the youngest of five children and lives in a two-room house with her single mother, who is a cleaner at the hospital. Every day, Haure wakes up early to walk about a mile in the dark with her mom to get to school. Haure participates in sports, plays, cultural dances and singing.
A Salesian said, “Being part of Don Bosco Private School has shaped her mindset to love life, to love learning and to aim for her dream of becoming a doctor one day. The donated furniture has helped to create a different world view and environment for Haure apart from her living conditions. It allows her to forget the struggles that she encounters every day to get to her happy place, the school, and sit on a comfortable chair with a desk to write on.”
Salesian programs across Namibia are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education in the country helps youth prepare for later technical, vocational or university study. Other programs help to support poor youth and their families by meeting the basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition and medical care.