This summer, my daughter Simone and I spent 16 days in Namibia, with 10 of those days volunteering with EHRA — Elephant-Human Relations Aid. We worked side-by-side with their team in Damaraland, helping with community projects, learning about desert-adapted elephants, and connecting deeply with the people who call this beautiful region home.

As part of our volunteer trip, we spent three unforgettable days at A. Gariseb Primary School, a boarding school with about 500 children. We helped with projects and shared time with the kids, and for once in our lives, we can truly say: we were there. We saw it, we felt it, and we loved the energy of the children and teachers.

Simone noticed something right away that touched both of us — how happy the children were, even though they had so little. Their joy was radiant, their laughter constant, and it reminded us of the beauty in simplicity. But when we stepped into the school kitchen, it was clear how much was missing. Meals are prepared with love, but without the most basic tools and facilities to make cooking safe, healthy, and sustainable.

Rachel, our dear friend at EHRA, shared that about $2,500 would cover the kitchen’s most urgent needs. But Simone and I wanted to go further. We’ve set our goal at $4,000 so we can fully equip the kitchen and support other improvements the school needs.

With Rachel’s guidance, here’s the wish list we want to fulfill:

Tiles for the walls around the basins

A hot water geyser for safer cooking and cleaning

Metal serving tables

A proper drying rack system (they’re currently using just a metal bed)

Metal plates and cups to replace the plastic ones

And if funds allow, more tables and chairs for the kids in the dining room

Every dollar goes directly to EHRA for the school. And this time, we can say with full hearts: this is a cause we’ve lived, seen, and touched ourselves. It’s real, it’s reasonable, and it will make a lasting difference in the children’s daily lives.

A well-equipped kitchen means healthy meals every school day — meals that fuel learning, growth, and joy.

💛 Join us. Donate today to help us build the kitchen and feed the future.