The Cradle of Hope Foundation hosted its first-ever Christmas lunch in Swakopmund's DRC informal settlement, where they fed more than 170 children.

The event highlighted the urgent need for stronger support systems for vulnerable girls and gender-based violence victims in the community.

The foundation said the Christmas lunch reflects its mission to uplift children and families who struggle to meet their basic needs.

Founder of Cradle of Hope Foundation, Francis Godenschweig, said, "Our mission is to make sure that children who cannot help themselves, who cannot feed themselves, are fed, and this is where we start here in the DRC, where the problem is huge, but we try to at least address a portion of it."

While the foundation runs a soup kitchen, one of its major long-term goals is to open a shelter for pregnant girls and victims of gender-based violence, a project that has stalled due to challenges in acquiring land.

"But our biggest project is opening a shelter for pregnant girls and women who are also abused, but we have the challenge that we don't have a place. However, NHE pledged to build us a house, but we have to provide the land."

Godenschweig is calling on the Erongo business community to partner with the foundation and help bring this critical shelter to life.

"We are pleading to the community, the businessmen, the fishing companies, and the mining companies. We need a piece of land to build this."