One of the things I’ve had the opportunity to do in Namibia is to make short videos highlighting important causes, or to show far-away donors where their money is going.
A little more than half a year ago, my wife told me that she had been to an informal settlement (a “shantytown”, literally) where people seemed to be having a particularly challenging time. A young man with a fenced off plot in a community with virtually no toilets or electricity had approached her organization, the International Women’s Association of Namibia, about getting some support for a preschool he wanted to build – specifically some chairs or benches. He was surrounded by many of the kids he was looking to support (and in so doing, create a small business enterprise), and most of them were barefoot, wearing torn clothing, looked like they had been rolled around in the dust, and frankly looked a bit lost.
So I thought I would put my video editing hobby to use, and we did a short interview / documentary to highlight his plight, and set up a Facebook page and a website where people could learn more.
We only ever got about 13 likes on Facebook, and not that many views on the website and video, but it turned out to be the right people. Through word of mouth and a bit of online marketing, word eventually spread, and the donations started to trickle in.
Seven months later, Albert’s Dream has become a reality. Thanks to generous donors from around the world, the school was built, filled with toys and educational materials, furniture, and a professional sign, funded with a nutrition stipend, and its instructors trained.
It’s great to have been a small part of something that will make a huge difference in the lives of 30-45 of Windhoek’s poorest kids. Thanks for the support. For more information, see Albert’s Dream.
Here’s the final video on the project, capturing how things turned out.
