Saying yes to education

Michelline Nawatises
Katrina Frans

A proud learner of Swakopmund Secondary School, Kinisha Evenson is the founder of the Say Yes to Education Foundation (SYEF) with the aim of accommodating learners who are not able to be in school by providing them with necessary guide to school. 40 members got her back that are from different schools namely Westside high school, Swakopmund Secondary school and Namib High school.

The SYEF meetings are held every beginning and end of the month at the Swakopmund Secondary School hall.

The SYEF members made their way to the Tears of Hope Orphanage located in Swakopmund, DRC, for which they all wore their custom their t-shirt, where they were welcomed with open arms and warm smiles by the children and the elders of the orphanage.

The members felt the need to let the children know that there are people in the world that care about them and that God is always there for them.

The children were excited when they saw that the members had brought along boxes with clothes and toys. The orphanage had quite a number of adorable kids aged 4-18 and an 8 month old baby girl.

The members asked the children a few questions like what they would want to become when they grow up. The children gave some surprising careers like doctors, lawyers, pilots, nurses. This made the members realise that the children really knew what they wanted to become and will freely say yes to education.

Later that day the members mingled with the children by playing games with them.

"The children were respectful and did just what we wanted from them," Kinisha Evenson said. The members treated the children as if it was of their own, each member took a child and asked him/her some few educational questions of which each got a gift.

The members closed the evening with a warm speech and handing out of the donations that they bought for the children. This was emotional for the elders of the and for the members as well and lastly the lady of the orphanage thanked the members for coming and sharing their love with the children and for making their day.

The SYEF has more upcoming events later in the year which includes movie night, fun day taking the kids out and more fundraising activities.

The SYEF application forms will be available later this year between October and November for those who are interested in joining the SYEF family. With that the members hope to expand the foundation with getting donators to assist the children in need, any kind of donation will be accepted and appropriated.