The sum of N$ 10 000 was donated by the Christina Swart-Opperman Aids Orphan Foundation Trust to the Namibia Red Cross Society on Monday. The funds will be used in the Ohangwena Region, where the highest percentage of children orphaned by Aids are living. The Namibia Red Cross Society runs an orphan project in that region, providing school unifroms, food parcels, blankets and other necessities to the Aids orphans. The programme is run in close partnership with the ministry of health and social services and the German Red Cross Society. Of the 82 000 orphans and vulernable children in the country, 41 500 lost their parents due to Aids.

Dr Swart-Opperman (centre) who was the Namibia Businesswoman of 2002, started the Aids orphan fund in February 2003. She thanked Mrs Razia Essack-Kauria (left), secretary general of the Namibia Red Cross for their efforts to reduce the plight of those children. They are seen on the photo holding the cheque with Mrs Joan Guriras, patron of the Aids Orphan Fund and wife of the Prime Minister, looking on. At the same occasion 150 volunteers were handed certificates after completing a course in home-based care for HIV-infected people. They will start doing their volunteer work in the Wanaheda suburb in Windhoek. Photo: Brigitte Weidlich