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A LOVING HOME FOR EVERY CHILD

Abigail Raubenheimer, manager of marketing and communication at Medscheme Namibia, and SOS representatives.

A loving home for every child SOS Children's Villages Namibia's core business remains the safety and well-being of vulnerable children.

Michelline Nawatises SOS Children's Villages Namibia is a non-governmental and non-denominational, child-focused organisation that provides direct services in the areas of care, education and health for children at risk of losing parental care, or who have lost it. Purely

The organisation also builds the capacity of children caregivers, their families and communities to provide adequate care. Namibia has three programme locations (villages) in Windhoek, Tsumeb and Ondangwa. Medscheme Namibia donated N$50 000 towards medical ¬expenses and brought relief to the children in the Windhoek, Tsumeb and Ondangwa facilities. Medscheme Namibia's contribution put smiles on the faces of 260 children, while reassuring the children that it does care. With friends like Medscheme, SOS Children's Villages Namibia can gain more momentum and care and support more children.

SOS encouraged other like-minded corporates and businesses to step up and join in contributing towards the betterment of those who have lost and or are at risk of losing parental care. SOS Children's Villages Namibia national director Leonard Diergaardt mentioned the journey with Medscheme started a number of years ago, as the organisation was searching for the best possible healthcare support service provider.

They decided on Namibia Health Plan (NHP), under which Medscheme Namibia falls, as it was well-suited to take care of the needs SOS mothers and staff. “The challenge we were still facing, is the fact that we had to rely on public health services to render essential and sometimes critical health -services to our children,” Diergaardt said. “Obtaining medical aid cover for our children is a very expensive undertaking, and to date, we still did not find an amicable solution, as you all are aware of the fact the medical treatment is very costly.” The health status of each child is acknowledged as this guides the caregivers in their individualised care methods. Medical expenses absorb a substantial portion of operational costs, and despite receiving a subsidy from government, the amount per child per month only covers a small percentage of the costs per month per child - less than 30%.

Source – Namibian Sun