Namibia

FOCUS
Promoting Health and Fighting Disease
Creating Economic Opportunities
Alleviating Hunger

MDGs ADDRESSED
MDG 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
MDG 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
MDG 4: Reduce child mortality
MDG 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
MDG 8: Create a global partnership for development

OVERVIEW
Namibia is a vast, sparsely populated country of almost 1.8 million people. It is rich in mineral resources, yet the United Nation’s Development Program’s 2005 Human Development Report indicates that approximately 35% of the population lives on US$1 per day and 56% lives on US$2 per day. Recent years of drought in parts of the country has exacerbated the nutrition and health status of the most vulnerable groups, particularly young children.

HIV/AIDS has crippled Namibia’s workforce, causing more than 50% of all deaths of people between the ages of 15-49. By 2015, the workforce will be reduced by 26%. Nearly 250,000 people are infected with HIV/AIDS—a prevalence rate of 22%. Currently there are an estimated 115,000 children orphaned by AIDS. Yet, malaria surpasses HIV/AIDS as the leading cause of death among all age groups in Namibia’s northern regions.

Our PARTNER
Episcopal Relief and Development’s partner, the Anglican Diocese of Namibia, is one of the 25 dioceses that make up Anglican Church of Southern Africa. The Church has been active in addressing the major health threats of HIV/AIDS and malaria, with an emphasis on home-based care for people living with HIV/AIDS and community outreach.

Our CURRENT PROGRAMS
Episcopal Relief and Development is fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS and malaria in Namibia through community-based programs, while creating opportunities for families to improve their food supply and increase income. Episcopal Relief and Development is strengthening the ability of communities to care for the most vulnerable, including people with HIV/AIDS and orphans.

Promoting Health and Fighting Disease
Episcopal Relief and Development is bringing compassionate care into homes of people suffering from HIV/AIDS and working to ensure long-term support for the children left behind. Reducing stigma and discrimination is a key aim of our HIV/AIDS work in Namibia. Episcopal Relief and Development also builds awareness and provides tools to prevent the spread of preventable diseases, including HIV/AIDS, malaria, and opportunistic infections that cause serious harm to vulnerable populations.

  • Home-based “wellness” care for HIV/AIDS patients improves the quality of life for those suffering with AIDS and provides support for the children and elderly in the family.
  • Long-lasting insecticide-treated nets, along with training in the proper use of nets, ensure that the most vulnerable are protected from the Anopheles mosquitoes that transmit malaria.
  • Trained malaria “agents” and volunteers instruct community members in malaria prevention and treatment methods.
  • HIV/AIDS awareness workshops train clergy and community leaders to teach prevention methods in their communities and provide counseling to those affected by AIDS.
  • HIV/AIDS education and group activities in communities work to reduce stigma and discrimination.
  • Peer counseling training enables young people to confront issues such as sexuality and HIV/AIDS and explore solutions so that they can counsel their peers struggling with the same problems.

Creating Economic Opportunities
Episcopal Relief and Development is helping families increase their income through small business development, training, and educational opportunities. These projects are focused in communities severely affected by HIV/AIDS, where there are growing numbers of orphans and vulnerable children requiring support.

  • Skills training in project management and accounting help communities develop small businesses.
  • Small business development such as sewing, child care, and breadmaking increase both family and community income.
  • School uniforms and fees, along with emergency food supplies, ensure that recently orphaned children can continue their education instead of dropping out to support their families.

Alleviating Hunger
Episcopal Relief and Development is teaching families methods to improve the food supply in their communities to insure healthy diets.

  • Community gardens provide additional food supply and improve the nutritional status of residents.


How ERD is making a difference...

Countries
We lift communities out of poverty around the world in areas such as Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. We partner with local organizations in the Anglican Communion to ensure vulnerable people have healthy food to eat and get proper health care.

Domestic
We provide critical supplies to people through local dioceses after natural and human-made disasters. We partner with the dioceses to get life-saving aid to children and their families and stay with communities after the crisis to provide ongoing support.





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