Friends...

Things at MYO continue to develop at a rapid pace. In June, we had our annual board meeting in Cincinnati. Alta and Clifford were able to attend from Namibia and we had a very productive few days of meetings.

I would like to welcome Clifford Lyners to our Board of Directors. Clifford is a native Namibian and successful businessman in Swakopmund. His insight and advice are a valuable asset to our growing organization.

Next, we also welcome Lisa Chee and Lincoln DeKalb to the MYO team. Lisa is responsible for awareness and Youth Sponsorship in Australasia and Lincoln will assist Frank DeBonis with our website and all technical matters. Lisa and Lincoln both live in Sydney and will help bring our message to that part of the world. We look for great things from Australia in the coming months. Lincoln and Lisa both plan to visit Namibia later this year and we are anxious to welcome them and introduce them to the kids.

As a reminder, all of these folks are volunteers and are not paid for their efforts. We could not operate without them, and by volunteering their time, we are able to commit 100% of our donations directly to the children in our program.

Our big news is that we have implemented our YOUTH SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM. I would ask you to please review this program and consider adopting a child. This program is the most important component of our fundraising plans. We have deliberately priced sponsorship low so that everyone has the opportunity to participate. Details of the program can be found at http://www.mondesayouth.org/donate/sac_donate.htm and of course you can always e-mail me at rob@mondesayouth.org if you have questions.

100% of the money collected through this program goes directly to benefit the children Mondesa Youth Opportunities!

I hope you take a few moments out of your busy schedule to read through our newsletter, and I ask you to continue to support us in any way you can. As always, you have my promise and obligation that every dollar we receive will be used in the most efficient, responsible manner, and that the MYO children will get the maximum benefit from your generous donations.

PEACE - Rob

Dr. Alta Myburgh - Managing Director

A large part of the success of the program relies on interaction with the schools, the community at large, and the parents of learners. The community is aware of our presence and is very supportive and appreciative of the program. The involvement of the community has been taken a step further with the addition of Clifford Lyners, a local Swakopmund businessman, to a board position.

Clifford and I recently attended the board meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio. This was a great opportunity for us not only because we had the chance to meet the other board members, but it was a first time visit to the States for both of us. The hospitality and friendliness of everyone was overwhelming and we felt like royalty and were treated as such.

The exercise was of great benefit for MYO. The people working on the ground and those behind the scenes, had the opportunity to exchange ideas and to find the best possible and practically applicable solutions. I personally believe that although Namibians need the guidance, expertise and financial back-up of people living in first world countries, the biggest changes will only happen with the support and drive from local people. However, in order to give the best guidance and support, people from first world countries need to understand the dynamics as well as the needs of the community.

As MYO expands and grows, more challenges will present themselves. We will address these challenges as opportunities to learn, and accept the headaches and maybe even disappointments that come with change.

The only way to stay focused and motivated is by asking the following:

HOW DO YOU EAT AN ELEPHANT?

The answer:

ONE BITE AT A TIME (Jon Giuliani)

Alta Myburgh

Barvely Von Luttichou - Tennis Program Manager

The tennis program for the second term is going great. We had 100% attendance for the first time this term, which are very proud of. The children are more enthusiastic due to a lot of tournaments and trips we have scheduled.

Twelve of the grade five MYO players participated in a Namibian tennis tournament held in Otjiwarongo. The tournament was a great success for the MYO team. The quality of the tournament was strong as the players had to compete with ranked Namibian players; however, we still brought back 5 medals. The results were as follows:

Grade 4
1. Warren Rooi
2. Simon Naingungo
3. Naftali Thomas
4. Chief Thomas
5. Ndeshipanda David
6. Magtalena Isaak
7. Cheron Baradongo
8. Paulina Shikongo

Grade 5
1. Placido Gertze
2. Timotheus Absolum
3. Elton Araeb
4. Joel Isak
5. Mary Aribes
6. Frieda Stephanus
7. Rottela Michaeltine
8. Christa Gertze

Frieda Mukufa - Doubles U/12 – 2nd
Timotheus Absolum - Singles U/14 – 2nd; Doubles U/14 – 1st
Elton Araeb - U/12 Singles plate – 1st; U/14 Doubles – 1st

The grade 4’s are working exceptionally hard as well. They will be competing in a mini-tennis tournament on the 30th of July against Windhoek and Rehoboth schools. They are very excited for their first tournament outside of the MYO group.

As a result of the Otjiwarongo tournament a squad team was established for those players who are performing well to get individual coaching attention. I have picked 8 grade 4’s and 8 grade 5’s to get extra coaching for an hour on Friday afternoons. These players will receive their own rackets sponsored by International Tennis Federation. They are as follows:

We have picked also 5 students in Grade 5 to get coaching at a higher level as they have progressed beyond their peers and are very committed. Congratulations to Elton Araeb, Timotheus Absolum, Mary Aribes, Placido Gertze and Frieda Stephanus. They have joined the Swakopmund Tennis Academy which is run by Alta Myburgh.

In addition, we are planning to get our players registered with the Namibian Tennis Association, so they can obtain points for the tournaments they play. Our goal is to get at least one player to represent Namibia at the inter-pro tournaments held in South Africa next year.

Shannon Taylor – Academic Program Manager

Kicking off our academic program this year did not come without problems. However, as we head into the half way point of the school year, the program is now running smoothly.

Despite the rocky start, the effects of the added academic help from the first term are apparent. A final cumulative was given at the end of the term for both grades 4 and 5 students. The average and median scores for grade 5 were 64% and 70%, respectively and 66% and 69%for Grade 4. While not high by American educational system standards, these scores are impressive considering a passing grade in Namibia is 30% and grade 4 and 5 students are not typically required to pass a cumulative exam. In addition to the successful outcome of the exam, the students’ enthusiasm for the classes can be seen in the overall attendance and retention rate.

The highest achievers in the academic program at the completion of term one, were as follows:

Grade 4
Ndapandula Joel
Chief Thomas
Naftali Thomas

Grade 5
David Klaazen
Leopard Ndafediva
Placido Gertze

Congratulations to these students! These children were rewarded with a field trip to the local cinema. For most of them, it was there first time to see a movie on the big screen, so it was an exciting outing. We also took many of our learners to the snake park as part of the first term science curriculum on the local Namibian environment.

At the Snake Park

After evaluating the progress of the first term, and receiving recommendations from the teachers at the local schools, we have modified our curriculum to increase to include more time on reading and writing skills. Specifically, we have increased focus on vocabulary, reading comprehension, listening skills, continuous writing and grammar skills. The focus on English will aid them across all subjects – one of the major problems with Namibia education system is the basic English skills of the learners. For most, English is their 3rd language. Often poor test scores are more indicative of their English skills rather than their understanding of the course work. The students are thriving in this new curriculum and we anticipate even better academic results at year end. We have also been fortunate to have several outside volunteers assisting in the classroom this term. This has provided the opportunity for more individualized attention in the classroom.

We have a number of exciting plans this term to reward the learners for all their hard work. First, July 15th, several of the children will be going camping and hiking at a local farm outside of Swakopmund. At the end of this term, we will be taking several of the children to Etosha National Park to view the wildlife of Namibia which many of them have never seen.

Finally, we will soon be setting up an MYO computer lab in order to integrate computers into the academic program!

Lisa Chee – Australasia Regional Coordinator

The introduction of the MYO youth sponsorship program is a great milestone and we are very exciting to have the opportunity to promote the program to Australians.

The recent Live 8 rock concert has certainly re-ignited our social awareness of Africa’s poverty and also how we (in more fortunate countries) can contribute to help make a difference. The ability to sponsor one of the many African children through the program is affordable by most of us (approx. A$25 per month or A$300 pa).

The plan for Australia over the next six to twelve months is to hold a number of activities and events to increase this awareness and get donators to support our program. This will include articles in the local paper(s), holding stalls at the markets, networking with friends/colleagues/businesses and other awareness and fund raising events.

I am also very excited about visiting the kids in Namibia later this year, which will enable me to work with them personally and appreciate the wonderful success of the program in their lives and their future.