Peri Naua, French association subsidizes, since 5 years, nursery school Ondundu near Tsumeb and created with the assistance of the Embassy of France, a nursery school Orwetoweni which opened its doors in January 2009. Both structures allow the education of disadvantaged children by giving them a broader social openness.

Peri Naua is an association founded by people directly on site development activities, it is by living there and making their individual actions by what came after the need is established in order Association improve and enrich the content of their actions. Today their work is focused around disadvantaged children providing them education and family support by involving families in the project. For more details you can visit their site http://perinaua.free.fr/

The geographical and cultural.

Ondundu is a small village a few kilometers from the town of Tsumeb. The villagers are mostly from the tribe known to us no longer known as “Bushmen” but this designation should be avoided because it is pejorative for Namibia, “Bushmen” meaning those who live in the bush, that is to say the “hick”.
The San tribe is the poorer section of Namibia: its know-how (hunting, gathering, making ostrich shell jewelry …) have virtually disappeared. Their lands are increasingly invaded by the Herero tribe of farmers whose cattle destroy the bushes and eat the fruit once used by the Sans for food and medicine.
In addition, the territory of the No is very remote, north east (Tsumkwe) and few tourists go that far, because of the remoteness of course, but also the bad reputation that no other Namibians to make.

Besides Sans, some families also live in Ovambo Ondundu but most are unemployed since the Tsumeb copper mine has considerably reduced its staff.

For the villagers of Ondundu, living conditions are difficult and the future of their children based on education and thus the school.

The schooling of Ondundu children.

The kindergarten as we know it in France does not exist in Namibia.
The village has a Ondundu primary school with children from six years on the basis of a small entrance examination, as is done throughout Namibia.

This entrance examination is essentially whether the child has the necessary prerequisites to attending class: Fundamentals of English (which is the national language required), ability to sit, listen, wear shoes , to hold a pencil …

All these conditions exclude most black children to school if behavioral skills were not previously acquired.
This is the reason that led Jacky KONJORE, arrive Ondundu few years ago by the transfer of her husband teacher, create a kindergarten HELP THE Helpless Kindergarten “first for his own children (she has three) and then also for its “community”, she likes to say.

In 2005, this garden hosts:

• 30 pups aged 2 to 6, from 7 pm to 13 pm 00; a lunch of maize meal being served at 9 am 00.
• Thirty children of primary school from 13 am to 00 tutoring and a meal is served on arrival.

Kindergartens in Namibia receive no public subsidy, only primary schools are funded by the state of Namibia. PERI is therefore NAUA which subsidizes the operation of the kindergarten Ondundu.

The needs of the kindergarten “HELP THE Helpless Kindergarten” and support PERI NAUA.

The kindergarten HELP THE Helpless Kindergarten “, a literal translation to the way Anglo-Saxon” Help the kindergarten in need “was created in January 2002 under the leadership of Jacky KONJORE who welcomed so children in the dining room of his house!

A few months later, the kindergarten moved in the old refectory of minors in the middle of homes in the San population, which quickly created problems because the children were constantly challenged by members of their family and evil to concentrate.

In 2003, Jacky has contacted the director of the Tsumeb mine, which has provided a small plot of land opposite the school Ondundu: the parents have been contributing to the construction of a building sheet and a few benches and wooden tables.

In 2004, PERI NAUA funded the creation of toilets and purchase of tables and chairs.

In 2005, “HELP THE Helpless Kindergarten” bought with money sent by Peri Naua the same ground at the mine in order to consider building a permanent building.

In late 2007 the school building and the offices will be fully renovated (investment, which represents € 6,500 for Peri Naua).

PERI NAUA support is financial :

Staff salaries : four people working for the kindergarten: a gardener / caretaker and three teachers. Ms. KONJORE could not initially provide a regular payment of wages (about 60 € a month per person), which has resulted in a turnover very important until 2003. Indeed, only six families can now pay the 15 Namibian dollars (about 3 €) per month charged by the kindergarten. With the help of Peri Naua, wages may now be assured and loyal staff.

Financial assistance (seeds for the garden, food, educational materials, training teachers, school fees for the poorest families …) through sending the profits from sales of Namibian crafts also and not least , the product produced by the parents.
The involvement of parents avoids assistantship which we know the devastating effects on the San tribe, and finally allows them to retain their cultural know-how (basketry, necklaces of ostrich eggs …)

Upcoming projects :

From January 2008, Peri Naua committed to managing the costs of operating a second kindergarten located in the former ‘township’ of the town of Otjiwarongo, in the center of the country. The building was built with funds from the Embassy of France in 2008 and the first intake will be in January 2009.