To Improve Namibia's Childhood Education, DREAMS educates Young Women

Maxi works at a non-governmental organization focusing on the improvement of Early Childhood Development (ECD) which is located in Windhoek, Namibia. She joined DREAMS in 2021.

DREAMS is an HIV prevention programme for vulnerable adolescent girls and young women. This initiative provides funds to young girls in the United States Government.

It stands for Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe. The United States Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which is administered by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provides funds for this initiative. Project HOPE and ACHIEVE implemented this programme in Namibia which is also cooperated by a number of ministries.

When she got to know about the DREAMS program she was in a difficult situation. She was in a vulnerable situation as she became a mother when she was in 10th grade and two years later she gave birth to her second baby. She wanted great support for her dilemmas.

Maxi received guidance from a mentor working in DREAMS to access youth-friendly HIV testing and other medical services which also included pregnancy prevention. During this period she also discovered that this initiative also provides young women a chance to sign up for an activity that would help in the development of their economy especially who are between the age of 15 to 24.

She received training in basic professional skills, knowledge about financial services, and basic etiquette to be followed in workplaces. She also took part in a certification course of 6 months on the subject of Early Childhood Development through the Katutura Youth Enterprise Center which is a vocational training center in Windhoek. This vocational training is mainly about infant care, the development of children, and child nutrition.

This training helped Maxi to achieve her goal of becoming a teacher. Her passion for children developed each day as she worked in a school. She knew that her life has just begun to change when she was chosen for a paid internship at Development Workshop Namibia (DWN), an early childhood development programme.

DWN is a programme that promotes the renovation of playgrounds and buildings for children, offers children-friendly books like picture books, and creates tools that can be utilized by both parents and teachers to enhance their ability for children’s care. Maxi worked with great passion in this firm which impressed the company. They provided Maxi with a full-time paid job. She is now able to manage her household expenditures while living with her mother who is a domestic household worker, her uncle who does not have any employment, and also with her two young children. After the job, she managed to purchase warm clothes along with a cupboard and wardrobe, she said in excitement.

Maxi currently serves as assisting and guiding the Early Childhood Development Centers that are located in different areas in Windhoek's informal settlements.

The goal of the DREAMS initiative is to support vulnerable young women and reduce the risk of HIV making them independent economically. Through this program, Maxi is currently working and making her earnings. She expressed her dream of completing her education at a nearby institution and advancing her career in the educational field.

DREAMS also provides training in plumbing, electrical, welding, bricklaying, catering, clothing manufacturing, beauty care, and agriculture.